Explore possibility of making water harvesting compulsory

Hyderabad: A two judge bench of the High Court comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao on Wednesday called upon the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to explore possibility of making rain water harvesting structures compulsory for giving occupancy certificates for residential buildings.

The bench is hearing a writ petition filed by S Vaidehi Reddy, a resident of the city, seeking directions to the State government, GHMC and other respondent authorities to ensure strict enforcement of GO Ms No 350 dated June 9, 2009 adopted in the AP Building Rules 2012 pertaining to rain water harvesting structures for all buildings, wherever applicable in the city of Hyderabad.

The bench stressed the need to undertake awareness campaign by using the social and electronic and print media informing the importance of rain water harvesting structures to increase groundwater table. The bench asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to respond by Thursday on the issue.

The petitioner submitted that 85 per cent of the people were depending on groundwater and it was the first time that after 30 years that the Osman Sagar and Himayath Sagar Lakes, which were the prime drinking source, had completely dried up.