Minister T Harish Rao orders ignored by GHMC
Residents who had asked for water harvesting pits were given various excuses
Hyderabad: State irrigation minister Harish Rao, during a recent visit to the Alwal cheruvu, had ordered the GHMC to resume the water harvesting pit scheme on a 50-50 basis (for residential properties only) and also release the fee to those who have constructed pits at their own expense.
However, when citizens had approached the zonal offices, officials had said they had no money.
Moreover, three days of Swachh Hyderabad has paralysed GHMC head office and zonal and circle-level offices. Many summer activities like de-silting of nalas and construction of harvesting pits are yet to get a nod from authorities.
According to the earlier plan of the corporation, the GHMC had to construct 6,000 rain water harvesting structures at a cost of Rs 6 crore.
Each of the five zones was to get 1,500 structures. The corporation, as part of the building permission fee, collects a separate amount for rain water harvesting pits from each applicant.
A recent RTI application revealed that over the last five years, the civic body has collected Rs 100 crore towards harvesting pits only. But so far, the GHMC has not initiated any works.