Rainwater harvesting can be an answer to the water crisis in the metropolis, but the civic body says the actual implementation of the technique has been less than encouraging.
Only 50 per cent of the queries received from residents by the municipal corporation get translated into actual implementation of the technique, officials said.
"Since last year and half, enquiries about rainwater harvesting have shot up. We receive more than ten calls a day.
In fact, the number shot up last month when we got about 18-20 calls a day," Suprabha Marathe, chief of the rain water harvesting cell, MCGM, told PTI in Mumbai.
Under the technique, the rainwater falling on rooftops is collected and stored in tanks, trenches and borewells.
"As rainwater gets wasted harvesting is the best way to conserve water and use it for non-potable purposes," Marathe explained.
In 2002, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai had made it mandatory for the new buildings, having a plot area of 1,000 sq mt, to have rainwater harvesting facility.
By 2007, the same provision became mandatory to buildings having a plot area of 300 sq mt and above.
"We have adopted a strict rule where the building proposal department will give nod only to those who have made facilities for this (rainwater harvesting). Or else, the builder will not get the occupational certificate."
According to the records available at the civic body's rainwater harvesting cell till June 2009, about 900 buildings were given occupational certificate which seem to have adopted the technique.
Of the 1,651 buildings that have set up such a facility since October 2002, when the MCGM made it compulsory for new buildings, 751 did so last year.
"Many builders show rainwater harvesting plants in their plans, but it often remains on paper. Builders and owners flout rules. We do not have any mechanism to follow or monitor it," an official said.
MCGM feels that at a time when the city with over 1.25 crore population is grappling with severe water shortage, the traditional method provided some relief to many.
"This is a traditional method which gained impetus since last monsoon as the city is facing water problem. People have realised the importance of saving water," Marathe said.
