Lok Sabha Question No. 1467 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-24
Subject: Rainwater Harvesting Guidelines
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: ELUMALAI VELLAIGOUNDER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES,

## RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1467 ANSWERED ON 24.11.2016

## RAINWATER HARVESTING GUIDELINES

## 1467. SHRI V. ELUMALAI

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  guidelines  to  ensure  installation  of  rainwater  harvesting system in  every  project  including  flyovers,  bridges  and  other  Government  projects  in  various  cities  to check groundwater depletion;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the other steps proposed to ensure sustainability of water in various cities; and

(c) the details of existing monitoring system to ensure compliance and review of such guidelines?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) Central  Ground  Water  Authority  (CGWA)  has  issued  advisories  to  States  and  UTs  to  take measures  to  promote/adopt  artificial  recharge  to  ground  water/rainwater  harvesting.  CGWA  has  also issued  direction  for  implementation  of  ground  water  recharge  measures  along  all  Highways  and  other major roads; along rail tracks, in Stadiums and in Airports. Accordingly, 30 States/UTs have made rain water  harvesting  mandatory  by  enacting  laws  or  by  formulating  rules  &  regulations  or  by  including provisions in Building bye-laws or through suitable Government Orders.

(b) Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) constituted under Section 3(3) of 'The Environment (Protection) Act, (1986)' has issued guidelines/ criteria for evaluation of proposals/ requests for ground water abstraction by infrastructure projects, wherein, provision for artificial recharge to ground water has been incorporated. The Guidelines, inter-alia, state that the run-off from the entire project area is to be utilized for artificial recharge to ground water unless risk of contamination exists or area is water logged. In  addition,  several  measures  have  been  taken  up  by  the  Central  Government  for  the  purpose  of sustainability of water in various cities :

· The National Water Policy (2012) formulated by Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR, interalia, advocates conservation, promotion and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the  availability  of  water  through  rain  water  harvesting,  direct  use  of  rainfall  and  other  management measures.    The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  has  been  forwarded  to  all  State  Governments/  UTs  and concerned Ministries/ Departments of Central Government for adoption.

· This Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable ground  water  legislation  for  its  regulation  and  development  which  includes  provision  of  rain  water harvesting. So far, 15 States/UTs have adopted and implemented the ground water legislation on the lines of Model bill.

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· CGWB has also prepared a conceptual document entitled 'Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground  Water  in  India'  during  2013,  involving  ground  water  scientists/experts.    The  Master  Plan envisages construction of 1.11 crore rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in the Country at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  79,178  Crores  to  harness  85  BCM  (Billion  Cubic  Metre)  of  water.    The augmented ground water resources will enhance the availability of water for drinking, domestic, industrial and irrigation purpose.  The Master Plan has been circulated to all State Governments for implementation.

· The  Department  of  Rural  Development  has  prioritized  work  related  with  Natural  Resources Management (including water harvesting) under MGNREGA and has issued a join framework with the Ministry of Water Resources and Department of Land Resources.  The framework stresses on utilizing the technical  resources  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY),  Integrated  Watershed Management  Programme  (IWMP)  and  Central  Water  Commission  (CWC)  along  with  use  of  GIS technology of ISRO for planning and monitoring purposes from FY 2017-18 onwards.  For FY 2016-17, the States have taken up a target of 8,82,325 farm ponds.

· CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme during XII Plan, under the scheme  of  Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation.    The  Aquifer  Mapping  is  aimed  to  delineate aquifer  disposition  and  their  characterization  for  preparation  of  aquifer/area  specific  ground  water management plans, with community participation.

· CGWB has been organizing mass awareness programmes in the Country to promote rain water harvesting and artificial recharge to ground water.

· Ministry of Urban Development has circulated its Model Building Bye-Laws (2016) to all State Governments which, inter-alia, incorporates provisions for Rain Water Harvesting.

· Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  have  merged  two  separate  programmes, namely,  National  Lake  Conservation  Plan  (NLCP)  and  National  Wetland  Conservation  Programme (NWCP)  into  a  new  Integrated  Scheme  of  National  Plan  for  Conservation  of  Aquatic  Eco-Systems (NPCA) for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country.

(c) The grant of 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) to projects/ industry by CGWA for withdrawal of ground water is accorded for a limited period of two years with compliance conditions including implementation of rainwater harvesting and recharge to ground water. At the time of renewal of NOC, CGWA ensures that the conditions of NOC are complied with and the Industry/Project submits the supporting evidence on compliance of conditions of NOC, failing which the NOC is not renewed for further period.

MoWR, RD & GR in convergence with M/o Rural Development has accorded priority to rain water harvesting works, under MGNREGA, in over-exploited areas.

Further,  the  Model  Building  Bye  Laws,  2016  have  recommended  constituting  a  rainwater harvesting cell, to monitor the compliance of incorporating the rainwater harvesting structures at various places.

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