CHENNAI: The state government has directed local bodies across the state to enforce mandatory rainwater harvesting in all buildings, both urban and rural, and restore defunct structures as part of a statewide campaign to promote rainwater conservation during the northeast monsoon.
The order, issued on October 16, calls for inspections of government offices, schools, hospitals and other public institutions, besides residential and commercial buildings, to ensure that rainwater harvesting systems are functional.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday inaugurated an awareness campaign on rainwater harvesting and launched ‘Thuli’, the campaign’s raindrop logo, at an event on Marina Beach in Chennai.
Under the order, rooftops, rainwater channels, filter chambers, recharge pits and wells will be cleaned and desilted, while non-functional structures will be restored wherever technically feasible.
Rainwater harvesting vital for water-deficient TN, says MAWS official
Government establishments have been directed to harvest rainwater falling within their premises and store it, reuse it or use it to recharge groundwater, depending on site conditions. The measures include recharge trenches, shafts, percolation pits and wells, storage structures and silt traps. New urban and rural water supply schemes will also incorporate rainwater harvesting wherever technically feasible.
Government departments, local bodies, educational institutions, resident welfare associations, self help groups, voluntary organisations, industries and community-based organisations will participate in the campaign. Training and demonstration programmes will be conducted for local body officials, engineers, teachers, students and community volunteers.
The Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department will coordinate and monitor the initiative. A state-level committee headed by the chief secretary will review progress, while district-level committees chaired by district collectors will oversee implementation.
Annual awards will be presented to the best-performing district, urban or rural local body, school or college, government institution, and resident welfare association or community organisation. The assessment will consider the number of structures created and restored, their functionality, coverage, public participation, innovation and maintenance.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior MAWS official said rainwater harvesting was vital for a water-deficient state such as Tamil Nadu, particularly during the rainy season. The initiative would be a continuous process, involving periodic inspections and reviews, rather than one with a fixed implementation deadline, the official said.
Tamil Nadu has mandated rainwater harvesting for years and launched a large-scale drive to promote the practice in 2001. Under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act, 1998, if a building lacks the required facility, the local body commissioner can issue notice to its owner or occupier, arrange for the installation of a structure and recover the cost and incidental expenses in the same manner as property tax.
A senior GCC official said many government buildings, houses and commercial premises already had rainwater harvesting facilities, but some had fallen into disuse due to poor maintenance.
In Chennai, the corporation plans to work with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to enable residents to approach the agency for repairs to existing rainwater harvesting systems.
A similar initiative was launched in 2019, during the AIADMK regime, making rainwater harvesting mandatory in all government, residential and commercial buildings and setting a three-month deadline for implementation. It also launched a programme to establish community recharge wells on 15,000 streets in Chennai. However, although structures were created, most were not properly maintained.