Delhi govt faces NGT flak on rain water harvesting

The National Green Tribunal today took the Delhi government to task over installation of rainwater harvesting systems and asked it to submit a report on the number of flyovers in the national capital where these systems have been installed.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice asked the city government's Public Works Department whether it has made the setting up of rainwater harvesting systems mandatory under the new contracts.
"How many rainwater harvesting systems have you installed in different parts of the city? Is it the part of the contract when a new construction is commenced? Get your officer here," the bench said.

The matter was fixed for hearing on November 9.
The NGT had earlier rapped the Delhi government for not filing a status report on whether government buildings, bridges and flyovers have installed rainwater harvesting systems and if these are functional.
The tribunal had earlier directed the Centre and other public authorities to ensure that rainwater harvesting systems are installed in every project, including flyovers, bridges or any other construction activity carried out by the government.
It had asked the Centre, the Delhi government and all public authorities to ensure that no project is approved without specific stipulation in the tender documents that they would have to construct adequate capacity rainwater harvesting systems as part of their project.

The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by Mehrauli resident Vinod Kumar Jain who wanted orders to make it compulsory for all government buildings of 100 sq m and above to have rainwater harvesting through storage of rainwater.