AREIDA calls for overhaul of faulty rainwater harvesting norms in Guwahati

Guwahati, June 1: AREIDA president PK Sharma has stated that the rainwater harvesting structures provided in various buildings as per Appendix VI of the Building Bye Laws have proved to be faulty as these norms in practice have failed to achieve the desired results.

"These regulations have been in operation for over ten years now and the infrastructure constructed at considerable costs, but the results on the ground prove that the core objective of recharge of ground water has failed. As such, these norms need to be recalibrated and suitable scientific amendments incorporated," Sharmaa said in a statement.

He opined that the present flooding and water logging in Guwahati proves that huge volume of rainwater instead of recharging the ground water by soil infiltration and percolation, is accumulating on the surface and leading to serious water logging.

"In addition to proper drainage network, the man-dated rain water harvesting infrastructure must also ensure that the water goes below the impervious clay layers down to the sand layers below which in turn will recharge and augment the ground reserves," he said.

He further stated that the matter was discussed with the Minister of Urban Development Jayanta Malla Baruah recently who expressed concern about flooding in urban areas.

As instructed, AREIDA's technical sub-committee headed by Anuj Bhajanka, is preparing a draft for amendment of Appendix VI of the building bye laws for effective rain water harvesting infrastructure in buildings, the statement added.

"We have approached Dr Bhaskar V Bhatt based in Surat who is an authority on the subject as well as IIT Guwahati for the purpose, and shall complete the task at the earliest in the larger public interest," he added.