Latest news with #WALTA
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
The pits? Rainwater rule is a runoff in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: As Hyderabad grapples with water shortages and drying borewells, rainwater harvesting remains largely ignored, despite clear mandates from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Between 2020 and 2025, GHMC issued 69,575 building permits. Of these, 23,239 required rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS), yet only 33% complied. In 2024–25 alone, just 4,578 out of 11,509 approved buildings had soak pits. Only 2,036 received occupancy certificates, even though RWHS completion is mandatory. Water sustainability expert Kalpana Ramesh, founder of The Rainwater Project, attributed this to apathy and poor enforcement. 'Even large gated communities let lakhs of litres flow into drains. A 1,000 sq. ft terrace can harvest one lakh litres a year,' she told TNIE, adding that instead of harvesting, crores are spent on deep borewells tapping contaminated, non-renewable groundwater. She warned that rampant concrete construction blocks natural percolation, worsening the crisis. Conservationists are now demanding a zero-discharge policy, with penalties for diverting rainwater into stormwater drains (SWDs). 'If we're fined for sewage violations, why not for wasting clean rainwater?' Kalpana asked, noting that the lost water contributes to urban flooding. Follow-up inspections are lacking, too. Srinivasa Rao, general secretary of the United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations, said soak pits are often dismantled or repurposed as parking or landscaped areas. He suggested levying a 25% property tax penalty if RWHS is missing during random inspections. 'Guidelines alone don't help; we need enforcement,' he told TNIE. The urgency is growing. Many borewells in the city and outskirts went dry this summer, forcing residents to rely on costly water tankers. GHMC has issued advisories urging homeowners without soak pits to construct them immediately. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has deployed geologists to help design recharge systems as the monsoon arrives. Kalpana emphasised that Hyderabad receives enough rain. 'The problem is runoff, not shortage. If you're not harvesting rainwater or recycling greywater, you're part of the problem,' she said. Although the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA) mandates RWHS for properties over 200 sq. metres, weak enforcement renders it toothless. Notices to be issued to 16K households that failed to construct RWH pits: HMWSSB Hyderabad: HMWSSB has decided to issue notices to 16,000 households for failing to construct Rainwater Harvesting Structures (RWHS). So far, with the help of NGOs, 12,000 water harvesting pits have already been constructed and maintained. HMWSSB managing director K Ashok Reddy explained that the recent deficiency in rainfall has caused groundwater levels to decline in many areas, resulting in a steady increase in water tanker requests. To address this, RWHS are now mandatory for all households with plots larger than 300 square yards and recommended for those above 200 square yards. Following the directives of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, HMWSSB has initiated a three-month awareness campaign. Ashok Reddy further informed that water tankers are being delivered within 24 hours of booking. In summer, 11,000 tankers were delivered daily; at present, the demand stands at 8,500 tankers per day.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
'Cutting down existing trees to plant new ones': Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) students object to tree felling, varsity clarifies
H YDERABAD: The deployment of earthmovers at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) late on Saturday created a mild tension on the campus. Students alleged that the varsity was cutting down trees for the Vanamahotsavam programme, which is set to be inaugurated by chief minister A Revanth Reddy. They claimed that hundreds of trees, including some decades-old, were cleared overnight using 15 to 20 earthmovers on the campus for the programme. However, the university issued a clarification and stated that the state govt decided to start the Vanamahotsavam programme from PJTSAU as HMDA is already planting plants there. "In the wee hours of Saturday, we learned that trees were being cleared on about 15 acres of land on the campus. We don't understand how the university or the state govt can can justify cutting down existing trees to plant new ones," said Rajkumar Chowhan, a student. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Another student, Bhanu Chander, said they didn't understand why decades-old trees, including eucalyptus and sababul, were being cleared from the campus. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top Doctor: If You Eat Banana Every Day, This Is What Happens WellnessGuide Learn more Undo "We were preparing about three acres in the botanical garden for the programme. We received instruction only at around 4.30 pm on Saturday about the inaugural being held on our campus. Due to short notice, we couldn't inform or provide clarity to the students, leading to misinformation. We will plant 3,000 saplings of planting native timber, wild fruits, and wildflowers in the cleared area," said Aldas Janaiah, vice-chancellor of the varsity. Both officials from the forest department and the Tree Protection Committee maintained that permission is not needed as per WALTA to cut agroforestry trees. "They don't need permission but have to plant new saplings in the same area in a 1:2 ratio," said Farida Tampal. Meanwhile, Sudhakar Reddy Danda, Rangareddy district forest officer, said the varsity only cleared land for the event by removing weeds or unwanted plants.
New Indian Express
06-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Hyderabad homes skip rainwater pits, groundwater at risk
HYDERABAD: Despite clear rules, a majority of households in Hyderabad are failing to build rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS), raising concerns over groundwater depletion. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has issued nearly 69,575 building permits over the last five years (2020–2025), but only 23,239 homeowners constructed the mandatory soak pits, just one-third of the total. Authorities blame the dismal implementation on the lack of proper monitoring. RWHS pits are required for all residential buildings above 200 under the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA), but enforcement remains weak. Officials from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) say occupancy certificates (OCs) should only be issued after verifying RWHS construction. However, this rule is often ignored as people don't bother applying for OCs. In 2024–25 alone, GHMC granted 11,509 building permissions, but only 4,578 property owners built soak pits. Of those, just 2,036 secured OCs. Overall, GHMC issued around 10,000 OCs in the last five years. GHMC says it is urging residents without RWHS to build them immediately, especially with the monsoon approaching. HMWSSB is also offering technical help through trained geologists. Rapid urbanisation has drastically reduced rainwater seepage, accelerating groundwater depletion. This summer, many borewells ran dry, pushing residents to depend on water tankers — a crisis that could worsen without stricter implementation of rainwater harvesting rules, said officials.
