Tamil Nadu government stresses need for rainwater harvesting systems to fight water crisis

Agriculture Minister Velumani says commercial buildings must instal system within three months.
State Ministers releasing a booklet on rain water harvesting in Tiruchy on Monday | M K Ashok Kumar
State Ministers releasing a booklet on rain water harvesting in Tiruchy on Monday | M K Ashok Kumar

 TIRUCHY : All commercial buildings have to install rainwater harvesting systems within three months, failing which there would be a penalty, announced Minister of Local Administration SP Velumani. He was speaking at a special conference organised on emphasising rainwater harvesting here on Monday. Earlier, he along with six other ministers inspected ongoing Kudimaramathu and other development works in Tiruchy and Pudukkottai districts.

The other ministers were Health Minister C Vijayabaskar,  Transport Minister MR Vijayabaskar, Agriculture Minister  Duraikannu, Food Minister Kamaraj, Tourism Minister Vellamandi N  Natarajan and Backward Class Welfare Minister S Valarmathi. District  Collector S Sivarasu was also part of the group. Velumani along with the other ministers then released a Government Order for the construction of a fishers port in Nambiyar Nagar at a cost of 34 crore under the Self-Sufficiency Scheme. The harbour is expect to benefit over 5,000 families.

Addressing the conference,  Velumani said, “In restoring the groundwater table, rainwater harvesting systems would be made mandatory for all commercial places in the State. In the primary phase, all commercial sites are asked to install rainwater harvesting systems within a three-month period. Failure to do so would invite penalties. Officials would be inspecting all such sites in the district to ensure rainwater harvesting facilities have been set up.” 

He added that during the Mann Ki Baat radio programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned how Vellore with the help of 20,000 women set up water management schemes at a cost of `3.96 crore in the district. Through this, the groundwater table has risen from six to 12 feet in Vellore district, he further said

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