Question : Rain Water Harvesting Plants in Bengaluru

(a) whether Niti Aayog has reported that Bengaluru will run out of ground water by 2021;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government towards combating the challenge;
(c) the number of houses and buildings in Bengaluru which have Rain Water Harvesting Plants; and
(d) the measures taken by the Government so far to ensure efficient implementation of Rain Water Harvesting in all houses and buildings with area of 1,200 sq. ft. and more as mandated by the Central Ground Water Board?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a) to (d) NITI Aayog in its report titled “Composite Water Management Index” published in June 2018, has mentioned that 21 major cities including Bengaluru are expected to run out of groundwater by 2020. This is based on the estimates of annual ground water replenishment and its extraction. However, it does not take into account the ground water availability in the deeper aquifers.
As per the information received from Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Government of Karnataka, the number of houses installed with rain water harvesting system in Bengaluru is about 1.2 lakhs.

Further, as per information received from Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, the Model Building Bye Laws, 2016, has been issued for guidance of the States/UTs which has a chapter on ‘Rainwater Harvesting’. The provisions of this chapter are applicable to all the buildings. 32 States / UTs, including Karnataka, have adopted the rainwater harvesting provisions. The implementation of the rainwater harvesting policy comes within the purview of the State Government/Urban Local Body / Urban Development Authority.

Hon’ble Prime Minister has written a letter to all Sarpanchs on 08.06.2019 regarding the importance of water conservation and rain harvesting and exhorted them to adopt all appropriate measures to make water conservation a mass movement.
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The issue of water conservation/harvesting was discussed with the concerned Ministers and officials of the State Governments by Minister, Jal Shakti in a meeting held on 11.6.2019.

An ‘Inter Ministerial Committee’ under the Chairmanship of Secretary (WR, RD & GR) has been constituted to take forward the subject of ‘Water Conservation Related Activities for Optimum Utilization of Monsoon Rainfall’ which meets from time to time to discuss the issue of water conservation. The Committee includes officers from different States/UTs. Last meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee was held on 01/05/2019.

Cabinet Secretary discussed the issue of water conservation/harvesting with the Chief Secretaries of the States through video-conference on 21.05.2019.




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