Groundwater recharge, rooftop audits key focus in ‘Catch the Rain' action plan

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

As part of the national Catch the Rain–2025 campaign, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration is pushing towards groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting in wake of monsoon, said officials on Tuesday. The plan includes the installation of piezometers across urban and rural areas, identification of water-stressed zones, and auditing of rainwater harvesting systems in high-rise buildings. Deployment of piezometers was among the key issues discussed.
'Catch the Rain' is a national water conservation campaign launched by the centre under the National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The directives came during a recent review conducted by director, Department of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the central nodal officer for the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Rituraj Mishra during his visit to the district this week. Mishra emphasised the urgency of water conservation, calling it a shared responsibility, and urged all departments to finalise their water conservation action plans without delay, officials said.
Deployment of piezometers was among the key issues discussed, said officials. To be sure, a piezometer is a device used to measure the pressure or level of groundwater in the soil, especially in wells or boreholes. It helps authorities monitor how deep the water table is and how it fluctuates over time.
'Piezometer data will allow us to monitor groundwater levels scientifically and respond to stress zones more precisely. This will greatly improve how we plan recharge efforts across the district,' said hydrologist, ground water department, Guatam Budh Nagar, Ankita Rai.
Authorities have also been asked to coordinate with the district groundwater department to ensure that all high-rise residential societies have operational rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. Audits will be conducted to assess their functionality and enforce corrective action where needed, said officials.
'Water conservation cannot be the responsibility of a single department. All stakeholders must come together with clear, actionable plans. Catch the Rain–2025 is not just a campaign, it is a long-term commitment to securing our groundwater reserves,' said chief development officer, Vidyanath Shukla, adding that local bodies have been instructed to engage RWAs in spreading awareness and taking ownership of rooftop rainwater harvesting systems.
To further reduce pressure on the water table, departments have been instructed to maximize the use of Ganga water in supply networks and minimise dependence on groundwater extraction, officials informed.
As of May 2025, approximately 100 high-rise buildings across Gautam Budh Nagar have functional rainwater harvesting systems, according to the ground water department records. Among government establishments, around 60% have operational systems in place.
According to assistant engineer, minor irrigation department, Pramod Kumar, implementation under the campaign is progressing steadily, with multiple projects already underway.