Water recharge system must for houses in Kannur

KANNUR: Kannur District Administration is making it mandatory for all houses above 100 sq.metre to have ground water recharging system. Those failing to comply with this direction would not get occupancy certificate from the authority concerned. The decision was taken in the wake of acute drought the district faced during the last few years. The district administration is spending nearly Rs 2 crore every year on water supply alone. The rule will not have retrospective effect, which means the existing houses will not come under the regulation.

The rule is being implemented under the Disaster Management Authority and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has already approved it. The rule will take effect immediately with the district collector, who is also the chairman of the DDMA, signs the order on Monday. An expert committee, which comprises town planner, ground water department executive engineer and deputy director panchayats and water authority official, has also been constituted to monitor the implementation.

The committee has already prepared three slabs of dimension for the percolation pit for the recharge system depending on the size of the house. The expert committee will also conduct monthly inspection in houses to ensure the system is implemented and is working effectively. If not complied with the regulation, it would be considered as a violation of Disaster Management Act and will be dealt accordingly

Speaking to DC, Kannur District Collector Mir Muhammed Ali said that though the rules are already there in the building rules of the Panchayat Raj Act, they have not been enforced. "The recharging process cannot effectively happen if the houses are not part of it. The rule is being implemented as a mitigation measure to alleviate drought," he said. Kannur  has been facing acute drought during the past many years. The Kannur district panchayat  has already launched a project under MGNREGS to implement  ground water recharging facility in houses using Kudumbashree workers.
 
What the DM Act says?

Disaster Management Act 2005 Section 30(2)(iii) says the District Authority may ensure that the areas in the district vulnerable to disasters are identified and measures for the prevention of disasters and the mitigation of its effects are undertaken by the respective departments of the government at the district level as well as by the local authorities.