BANGALORE: The official deadline set by the BWSSB to install Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) system in buildings constructed on sites measuring 40x60 feet ended on March 31. Of the total 55,000 buildings in the city, only 38,536 buildings have installed the system and the remaining 16,464 have failed to adhere to the deadline.Earlier, the BWSSB officials had stated that the water and sanitary lines will be disconnected “mercilessly” if the building owners do not install the RWH system before March 31. However, no such action has been initiated against anyone so far.When Express contacted BWSSB’s Engineer-in-Chief T Venkatraju to find out how many water and sanitary connections out of the 16,464 buildings been disconnected, he said, “None. We are giving one more opportunity to the people. The Water Inspectors will visit houses with Watermen and find out the reason for not installing the Rain Water Harvesting system.”He said that those consumers who give letters to the Board explaining the reasons for not installing the RWH system will be given some grace period.“I have received many letters from the consumers. Most of them have said that there are financial constraints to install the RWH system.”Interestingly, the consumers have cited their financial inability despite the availability of a loan facility (Syndvarshini) for the purpose.“Some are justifying their act by saying that they do not have any water problem and installing RWH system does not help to them,” said Venkatraju. However, he clarified that RWH is compulsory for all buildings, including commercial ones, measuring 40X60 feet. “It does not matter whether they have water problem or not or they have our water connection or not,” he categorically said.Consumers in their letters to the board have requested the officials to give a grace period ranging from 15 days to three months. Meanwhile, the consumers who have installed RWH before December 31, 2011, are unhappy about the BWSSB’s attitude.Murugan R M, who installed RWH last year, said, "We installed RWH system hurriedly to meet the December 31 deadline. Many people have faithfully stuck to this deadline and later the BWSSB extended the deadline to March 31. Why don’t the BWSSB officials use their powers and cut off water and sanitary connections of those who have not met the extended deadline now?”He further stated that those who reside in 40x60 feet structures “can very well afford the costs of installing RWH.”However, Venkatraju said, “We have given one more opportunity and those who do not commit themselves to install the RWH system now will not be spared. We will cut their water and sanitary connections after issuing a notice.”
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