Water conservation campaign: Rainwater harvesting made compulsory for new houses

Team Udayavani, Jul 11, 2019, 4:45 PM IST

Udupi: Rainwater harvesting has been made compulsory for those constructing houses in the urban and rural areas of Udupi district and the completion certificate will be given to the owners only if the facility has been included in the house plan.

The decision was taken at a meeting on water conservation campaign, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, at the District Offices Complex here.

Speaking of the new decision the DC Korlapati said that houses already under construction should take up rainwater harvesting while those the facility should be included in the main plan for the houses that are yet to be constructed. If the houses did not have it, then the gram panchayats and the urban local bodies should not give them licence for construction, she informed.

Severe water scarcity

In the backdrop of the severe water scarcity faced at many places in the recent summer, rainwater harvesting has to be made compulsory. Plans should be drawn to harvest rainwater into open wells, borewells or percolation pits, said the DC.

The DC asked the administration to keep a vigil on the number of houses, which were being permitted for construction in the district, the houses which have got constructed and how many of them have rainwater harvesting facility. The gathered information would be also published for the benefit of general public, she informed.

The DC directed the officers to protect the traditional sources of water in the district and also to increase their water retention capacity. She also asked the urban local bodies should develop ponds and tanks under their jurisdiction.

20,000 saplings

Udupi municipality officers should choose five wards and provide five saplings for planting for each house in these wards. An engineer should be appointed as nodal officer for the selected wards for the effective implementation of the plan and at least 20,000 saplings should be planted in these five wards by the end of July.

The DC asked the Urban Development Authority to make sure if there was proper drainage and rainwater harvesting facility before approving any private layout,

Free training

Speaking at the meeting the Deputy Director of Horticulture Bhuvaneshwarai said that the Department of Horticulture would give free training on creating and maintaining terrace gardens to those who implement the rainwater harvesting.