Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday asked the GHMC and the state government to take steps to initiate stringent action against owners of buildings who had not constructed rainwater harvesting structures.
The bench asked the authorities to enumerate the buildings, individual houses, and commercial complexes that have water harvesting structures and prescribe a timeframe by giving an opportunity to the owners who had not constructed them to do the same.
The High Court bench suggested that the government form a committee to oversee the construction of water harvesting structures in every house, apartment and commercial complex.
Mr D. Prakash Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, city resident S. Vaidehi Reddy said the factual situation was contrary to the claims of the GHMC that several buildings including government complexes had harvesting pits.
Panels told to make periodic inspections
D. Prakash Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, said even Osmania General Hospital and Osmania University were depending on water tankers these days.
GHMC counsel Kesava Rao said that the civic body was prepared to strictly implement the GO issued for water harvesting structures and corporators had already started door-to-door campaigns explaining the importance of water harvesting structures to citizens. When the Bench asked when the committee would be constituted, counsels for the state and GHMC said two weeks.
The court said the committee should have periodical reviews and also examine whether owners had failed to construct the structures within the time granted and to take steps to disconnect their water supply. The Bench adjourned the case to June 20 while asking the GHMC to give wide publicity for construction of water harvesting structures.
