Fines will be imposed on buildings with faulty rainwater harvesting systems.

NASHIK: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to fine all residential and commercial buildings in the city that have inoperative rainwater harvesting systems. Rainwater harvesting systems are required by law for all residential and commercial structures built on plots larger than 500 square meters.

The town planning department will check whether the rainwater harvesting systems at these buildings are operational after the Building Completion Certificates are issued, according to NMC commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar (BCCs).

“We will also put in place a proper mechanism to ensure that buildings have a rainwater harvesting system before issuing BCCs and that they are operational after a few years.”

At a recent committee meeting, Nashik divisional commissioner Radhakrishna Game, who chairs the Bombay high court-appointed high-powered committee, directed the NMC administration to ensure that the buildings comply with the rainwater harvesting system.

He also directed the municipal administration to ensure that the rainwater harvesting systems installed in buildings that received BCCs two to three years ago are operational. Game also requested that officials take action against the owners of buildings where the system is malfunctioning.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, the civic body conducted a drive and fined 60 residential buildings Rs 1,000 each for failing to comply with the rainwater harvesting system rule.
However, due to the COVID pandemic, the civic body has been unable to hold such a drive for the past two years.