Update us on rainwater harvesting systems in KVs, NVs: NGT

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Human Resource Development to inform it within a week about the status of installation of rainwater harvesting systems in Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas here.

A bench headed by Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore also rejected the request of two schools to exempt them from paying Rs 5 lakh as environmental compensation for failing to install the rainwater harvesting systems on their premises.

The green panel said that it was of the considered opinion that the applicants --Qaumi Senior International School and Madhu Bala Institute for Communication and Electronic Media -- were not at all sincere to comply with the order of the tribunal.

It said they did not timely approach the committee to get exempted and receive a certificate if it was really not possible to install rainwater harvesting systems on their premises.

"The counsel for the Ministry of Human Resource Development submits that so far as installation of rainwater harvesting systems in Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas is concerned, he has received the requisite information and therefore he seeks short time to file affidavit on record with regard to the status of rainwater harvesting system in these schools," the tribunal said in a recent order.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation told the tribunal that there are 568 sites where educational institutions are being run and rainwater harvesting systems have been installed at 382 sites.

"It has also been submitted that at 29 sites, the installation work is in progress. It has further been submitted by the counsel for the corporation that in respect of 84 sites, it is not feasible to have rainwater harvesting systems," the bench noted.

The New Delhi Municipal Council told the tribunal that there are 44 sites where educational institutions are being run and the rainwater harvesting systems have been installed and are functional at 28 sites.

"It has also been submitted that at three sites, installation of rainwater harvesting system is in progress and the same is likely to be completed by the end of March 2019.

As regards other three sites, it has been submitted that the rainwater harvesting system is not required. Similarly, it has been submitted that at remaining five sites, it is not feasible to install the rainwater harvesting system," it said.

The counsel for the East Delhi Municipal Corporation submitted that there are 232 sites, out of which rainwater harvesting systems are functional at 210 sites.

"He has also submitted that at 12 sites, the construction of rainwater harvesting system is under progress. It has been submitted that in remaining 10 sites, the installation of rainwater harvesting system is not feasible," the NGT noted.

It had earlier directed the Delhi government to act against unauthorised water extraction in the national capital. The tribunal's direction came on a plea filed by city resident Mahesh Chandra Saxena.