NGT forms committee to inspect status of rain water harvesting systems in Delhi's Dwarka

The National Green Tribunal has formed a committee that would inspect the status of rain water harvesting systems installed in residential societies of Dwarka here and submit its report within two months.A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a joint committee comprising officials of Delhi Jal Board, Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to look into the matter and take remedial action in accordance with the law.

The National Green Tribunal has formed a committee that would inspect the status of rainwater harvesting systems installed in residential societies of Dwarka here and submit its report within two months.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a joint committee comprising officials of Delhi Jal Board, Central Pollution Control Board, and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to look into the matter and take remedial action following the law. ''The committee may ascertain the technical efficacy of installed systems and changes if any, required and the issue of contamination of groundwater.

''An action taken report may be furnished to this Tribunal within two months by e-mail. The DJB will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance,'' the bench said.

The applicant may serve a set of papers on the DJB, CPCB, and DPCC and file an affidavit of service within one week, the NGT said.

The matter is listed for the next hearing on October 22.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by city resident Mahesh Chandra Saxena seeking inspection of all the rainwater harvesting systems constructed in all the societies of Dwarka by a team consisting of the groundwater cell of the Delhi Jal Board, the member from the Central Pollution Control Board and the applicant, and collection and sending of samples for examination in the Lab.

The plea also sought directions to make the non-functional rainwater harvesting systems found in the inspection functional for recharge of only rooftop pure rainwater so that groundwater is not contaminated.

According to the applicant he has conducted a survey of rainwater harvesting systems of 40 societies in Dwarka and found deficiencies. ''The borewells are deeper, enabling polluted water to mix with the groundwater. This requires joint inspection of rainwater systems in all areas of Delhi to ensure proper functional design, the level at which the borewell should be installed, use of gravel, coarse, sand in the filter,'' the plea said.