Curation Team
GURUGRAM: Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh on Saturday said the city was witnessing a widespread violation of water conservation rules in residential houses and industrial units, adding that even after obtaining occupancy certificates (OC) for buildings, water conservation measures should be inspected biannually.
If deficiencies are found, OCs should be revoked. Singh said though laws exist for large residential and industrial projects to conserve water, compliance is lacking.
Rao mentioned that builders, owners of large residential plots, and industrial units are required to implement water conservation measures before obtaining an OC certificate, but these are only being done on paper. “Strict action should be taken against units neglecting rainwater harvesting systems to ensure the success of water conservation efforts,” said Singh.
The Union minister instructed officials to penalise builders and sectors ignoring water conservation measures. Rao warned that the area is moving towards a dark zone in terms of groundwater levels, and if timely action is not taken, the situation could become critical.
Also, the minister directed action against residential societies and industrial units for illegally discharging wastewater into public areas due to the absence of the STPs.
During a meeting between the Union minister and officials of the Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), officials admitted that while builders, housing societies, and industrial units show arrangements for water conservation measures when obtaining an OC, they are neglected once the certificate is issued.
Officials from the Haryana Urban Development Authority present at the meeting informed that rainwater harvesting is mandatory for houses built on plots larger than 150 square yards in the HSVP sector and noted that the system is shown only to obtain OC certificates, they are not functioning in reality.
