75% rainwater harvesting systems in Faridabad defunct
Bijendra Ahlawat
Faridabad, December 13
With around 190 harvesting systems installed under the JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) about 15 years ago at public spots for promoting rainwater harvesting in the city, majority of these have gone non-operational due to poor upkeep, according to sources. Lack of proper enforcement of building bylaws has also adversely impacted the success of the regulations which mandates the provision of rainwater harvesting in the privately owned residential and commercial buildings also, it is reported.
“Though several lakhs were spent on the development of rainwater harvesting points in public parks, school buildings and the government buildings premises in 2008-09 under the Central Government sponsored JNNURM programme, the purpose got defeated as majority of these failed to work within a few years due to no upkeep,” according to a source in the civic administration. A survey by a team deployed by the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF) in 2018-19, found that around 80 per cent had stopped working due to blockages, damage and wrong placement, says the sources. AK Gaur, who was part of the team, said a large number of harvesting points were found to be defunct as these had not been repaired or cleaned on time. “The inlet totally choked with solid waste, inlet point and ground level not aligned and cover of inlet pit missing,” were some of the observations made by the team. “Severe waterlogging even after a normal rainfall in parts of the city has been the result of the missing of a proper harvesting system and choked drains,” says Vishnu Goel, a resident. Faridabad has been in the ‘over-exploited zone’ according to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) report. The groundwater level has depleted to an average of 500 feet in the city over the past ten years, it revealed.
The Haryana Building Code – 2017 envisages the arrangement of roof rainwater harvesting within the plot where the rooftop area is 100 square metres or more. Recharging shall be mandatory not only for residential buildings but for all types of buildings, including Group Housing Societies having a plot area over 500 square metres, says the regulation which adds that Water Recharge System shall be mandatory for open spaces like parks, parking, plazas, playgrounds and other common areas and it could be constructed with the involvement of community based organisations like Resident Welfare Associations.
