SCB to mandate rain-water harvesting pits for new buildings

The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has made it compulsory to build rain-water harvesting (RWH) pits to get the building approvals in the cantonment area.

In its board meeting in January, SCB passed a resolution unanimously aiming to mitigate the water crisis.

On average, the SCB engineering wing gets 15 to 20 applications in a month for approval of building plans.

Subsequently, a thorough investigation would be carried out, and the builders would receive the approvals only if they are following the RWH rule.

SCB officials have introduced strict measures to execute RWH pits as in 2020, plenty of rainwater went into drains during the rainfall.

Usually, SCB spends Rs 20-30 lakhs each monsoon to reconstruct nearly 800 defunct power borewells in every SCB ward.

Although the RWH structures were initiated over a decade ago, SCB had no data regarding the existing number and defunct RWH pits. Most of the pits dug up at residential colonies turned, and due to lack of maintenance, turned out to be garbage bins.

A resident of Mahendra Hills told the media that out of 370 residential colonies, just 70 colonies followed the concept. Moreover, SCB does not have a technical group to help the people to construct RWH pits.

The resident said that they have to ask for help from either private companies or Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

However, in other areas, people are witnessing an increase in groundwater levels each rainy season. There is no other option for them except to construct RWH pits.

A member of the cantonment board said that SCB should also construct a rain-water harvesting theme park either at class ‘C’ land or SCB main office.

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