Install rain water harvesting in 10 days: NGT to schools

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has directed private and government schools here to install rain water harvesting systems ( RWHS) in their premises within ten days.

A bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said the schools need to take appropriate steps for setting up of RWHS as the monsoon season is likely to start soon.

"We direct notices (schools) to complete installation work within a period of 10 days and file report of completion in the registry after serving copy to the applicant, failing to which each one of the noticees will be saddled with a cost of Rs 20,000 in the first instance subject to further order for increasing the cost," the bench said.

The green panel also directed Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and Delhi Jal Board ( DJB) to inspect the premises of the schools which have already installed rain water harvesting systems and submit report.

The matter is listed for next hearing on June 14.

The NGT had earlier directed the CGWA and DJB to inspect private and government schools here after a plea alleged that they have failed to install rain water harvesting systems in 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.