– Water harvesting system not installed even in many government buildings
– “Rain water harvesting” should be mandatory in all residential areas*
Nagpur :- Day by day the jungle of cement is engulfing the land. Due to which the ground water level in cities is declining. Rain water harvesting is the best way to conserve rain water. This is the best method to improve the ground water level. In the past several years, the government has been engaged in making the common people aware about stopping ground water exploitation as well as installing rain water harvesting system. The state government had made rain water harvesting mandatory to conserve rain water.
Due to this, the administration had made rain water harvesting system mandatory in maps of three hundred meters or more. Many rules and laws have been made on paper for water conservation, but these rules are not being followed on ground. Nor is any strict action being taken.
The administration officials are also not very serious about this. Often the mandatory conditions are fulfilled only on paper, while in reality, hardly any official ever goes for a field inspection. The result of the negligence of the officers is that there are very few water harvesting systems installed in the government buildings of the district. Wherever they are installed, they stop working due to lack of maintenance for years. All government buildings should be inspected.
According to information received from sources, out of about 7.50 lakh properties in the city, only 1,463 are harvesting rainwater to boost groundwater.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation is promoting rain water harvesting (RWH) by including it in its environment-friendly initiative, under which it provides citizens a 5% discount in property tax for implementing such measures. However, out of 7.50 lakh properties in the city, only about 1,463 owners or only 0.92% have adopted RWH. Data sought from the property tax department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation shows that 5440 owners or just 0.77% have implemented eco-friendly measures like RWH, solar power use, water waste recycling and reuse, and vermicomposting. According to the data, 3,067 households have claimed 5% discount for installing solar panels, 5002 for recycling and reuse of wastewater and 5008 for making vermicompost from waste.
According to the information received, 531 in Hanuman Nagar area, 215 in Laxmi Nagar area, only 5 in Satranjpura area, 18 in Aasinagar area have implemented RWH. As per the rules that came into effect from August 28, 2009, RWH is mandatory for plots of 300 sq m (3,228 sq ft) and above in non-gauthan areas.
In the last two financial years (2022-23 and 2024-25), the Town Planning Department has approved building construction plans for 165 plots, which have a condition of installing rainwater harvesting system. However, sources said that the department never inspects in this regard.
Environmental friend Dr. Pravin Dabli said that RWH should be mandatory in all government buildings, educational institutions, parks, hospitals and universities in the city and it should also be implemented in private institutions like schools, hotels, restaurants and malls. If this does not happen, then if the officials have given exemption in implementing it after inspection, then there should also be a penalty for not implementing it.
It is known that even before this, Dr. Pravin Dabli had raised the issue of revival of the historical wells of the city to revive and increase its water level.
Dr. Dabli said that water accumulates and flows on the roads during rainy days. If while building a road, a plan for ‘road water harvesting’ should be made on the side of the road itself. Anyway, where is the land left in the city, all of it has been cemented. In such a situation, only road water harvesting can increase the water level inside the earth. If people still do not wake up, then in the coming days there will be a terrible crisis of drinking water.
*What is the government rule!*
Nagpur Rainwater harvesting is mandatory in all buildings in Nagpur from March 2005. The by-law envisages that no building will be allowed without the provision of rainwater harvesting. As a rule, all layouts of open spaces, sites of housing society amenities and new constructions of 300 square meters or more. should have one or more rainwater harvesting structures such as open wells or borewells, or underground storage tanks or seepage pits. The owner / society should also ensure the maintenance of these structures. If the above rules are not followed, there is also a provision of fine by Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
*How to make a harvesting system*
For the rain water harvesting system, first of all, dig a 3 to 5 feet wide and 6 to 10 feet deep pit in the ground and put a big stone at the bottom, pebbles, medium sized stones in the middle, pebbles and fine sand or gravel at the top. This system works as a filter. Water from the roof is brought down into this pit through a pipe. The water from the pit slowly gets filtered and goes inside the ground. Similarly, water is collected in the tank through the filter.
