NGT orders Delhi Jal Board to present report on rain water harvesting systems in schools

During the hearing, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) told the green panel that the cost estimate of the projects for three schools – Primary Girl School at Chhatarpur Mandir, Prativa Bal Vidyalaya and Primary School at Rajpur Khurd – have been prepared and tenders will be floated at the earliest. The bench, however, said “looking to the grave urgency of the matter because monsoon has come and purpose of rain water harvesting system will be frustrated if delayed, we direct SDMC to take up the matter on priority and inform the tribunal on next date of hearing with regard to the progress in the matter.”

The matter is fixed for next hearing on August 8.

The NGT had earlier directed the Central Ground Water Authority and DJB to inspect private and government schools in Delhi after a plea alleged that they have failed to install rain water harvesting systems on their premises. The direction came during hearing of a plea of Mahesh Chandra Saxena, who claimed to be associated with an NGO working in the field of ground water conservation. He has claimed that government departments, educational institutions and residential societies have either not installed rain water harvesting systems or these were non-functional.