Rainwater harvesting to become compulsory in Pune

The defence estates department has proposed a new bylaw which makes rainwater harvesting compulsory for new buildings coming up in cantonment areas.

While other civic bodies, like the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have long incorporated compulsory rainwater harvesting provisions and facilities for both standalone buildings and housing societies, cantonment areas have no such provisions.

The ministry of defence made public a draft of the proposed bylaws, which is open for discussion for a month by members of the general public as well as experts. The draft also proposes norms for tapping solar power and disabled-friendly buildings. The draft proposes relaxation in floor space index norms and concession in property tax for buildings having such facilities.

A senior PCB official said: "There are certain provisions which extend relief to standalone houses and small properties from implementing rainwater harvesting facilities. Instead, we will identify larger housing societies which are being built or renovated and they will have to have such facilities."