Telangana High Court
Dr. K.L. Vyas vs The Government Of Andhra Pradesh on 12 December, 2023
THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE ALOK ARADHE
AND
THE HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE ANIL KUMAR JUKANTI
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION No.213 OF 2012
ORDER:(Per the Hon'ble the Chief Justice Alok Aradhe) None for the petitioner.
Mr. T. Srikanth Reddy, learned Government Pleader for Revenue Department for respondent No.2.
2. In this Public Interest Litigation, the petitioner inter alia seeks a direction to the respondents to make provision for rain water harvesting pits mandatory in respect of all constructions, including the Government office/buildings in the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh and twin cities with a view to recharge ground water.
3. A counter-affidavit has been filed on behalf of respondent No.3 - Managing Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). The aforesaid respondent No.3 has furnished the details of the efforts made for maintaining the ground table water. Paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of ::2::
the counter affidavit are extracted below for the facility of reference:
4. HMWSSB is following the provisions of A.P. WALTA Act, 2002. As per clause-17(1), every premises should have a Rain Water Harvesting Structure/Pit (RWHS) to improve the ground water table. As per the Board norms, the Applicant who seeks Water Supply and Sewerage Connections to his premises, it is mandatory that he should construct the RWH Structure/Pit. Accordingly, whenever the Application is made for permanent tap connection and if the RWH Structure is not constructed by the Applicant, the Board will advice and providing necessary technical support for construction of RWHS.
5. In order to create awareness a Periodical Seminars were conducted by the Board to educate the general public for construction of RWH Structures as the Awareness Programme. Audio and Visual publicity is also given through electronic media and print media. The importance of conserving the ground water tables by constructing the RWH Structure is also made available in the form of print folders in four languages viz., Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English duly giving the detailed specifications of the material to be used in the RWH Structure. A separate model house for conserving the roof top water, duly depicting the functioning of recharge pit was exhibited in the All India Industrial Exhibition from 2005 onwards. Several awareness camps have been conducted in different colonies to educate the necessity of RWHS.
6. Periodical Awareness programs in different colonies are also conducting to facilitate the consumers for effective implementation of RWHS. The World Water Day Programmes are also celebrated with Public Awareness Programmes. Technical Seminar was also conducted in the Institute of the Engineers India, A.P. Chapter, Hyderabad wherein detailed deliberations on technical and other aspects were enunciated. For giving wider ::3::
publicity on RWHS, a number of banners, folders etc., comprising of necessity and technical details have been made available and are being distributed to all sections and divisions. In addition to the above, the Housing Welfare Associations of the respective colonies, and NGOs like United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (U-FERWAS), Prakriti Environment Society (A Non Govt. Organization) are also involved to share the wider publicity campaign and also for construction of RWHS by the Board. HMWSSB's website also provides information about RWHS.
7. Rain Water Harvesting Theme Park-Salient Features:
A. Land Area-5060 Sqm
B. Annual Rain Water potential in the park -
40,48,000 Itrs
C. Roof Area of Resource building and circular
Roofs
a) Flat Roof Area - 800 Sft (Animation room).
b) Sloped Roof Area - 3000 + 70 + 70 = 3230 Sft (Resource Building + 3 Circular Roofs). D. Live Models on Rain Water Harvesting
i) Rain Water Collecting System
a) Gutters from flat and sloped roofs (different types like GI, PVC and Metal etc.)
ii) Filters (different types like leaf slide, sand bed, pop up, GI mesh and cloth etc)
iii) Storage Units
a) Different types of storage units like pot, metal drum and syntax etc.
b) Surface tank
c) Underground tank
iv) Soil moisture and ground water recharge steps
a) Contour bunds on Jala Shikaram
b) Swale
c) Pervious pavers
d) Check bunds
e) Pond
f) Recharge Wells
g) Recharge Pits
h) Recharge pit with shaft/injection well etc.
v) Musical fountain on water theme
vi) Garden on water conservation theme ::4::
a) Water wise garden on different quantity of water requirement
b) Zodiac garden
c) Medicinal garden E. Features in the Resource Building
a) Theme on Rain Water Harvesting
b) Booklet on different types of Rain Water Harvesting
c) Process on water Treatment Plant
d) Reasons (why) and benefits of Rain Water Harvesting
e) Live weather monitoring Station
f) Requirement of water for different types of grains
g) Save water model with water restrictors
h) Body water content i Live model of sand bed filter
j) Kiosks 2 numbers on
(i) Quiz questions
(ii) Rain Water Harvesting solutions for your house
k) 2 numbers of monitors on different types of films on Rain Water Harvesting F. Auditorium
a) Auditorium with 50 seating capacity with green Air Conditioning.
b) Audio visual system to conduct meetings and interactive sessions.
G. Animation Center
a) Video game on Rain Water Harvesting to play 4 members at a time.
b) Virtual reality on water drop journey form source to Hyderabad.
c) Holographic projection on WTP and STP.
d) Talking tree on Rain forest.
A copy each of the Brochures are enclosed as Annexure - 1 to 3 for kind consideration by this Hon ble Court.
8. For prospective Applicants, water connection is being released duly verifying the RWHS. If, RWHS is not constructed, the connections is being provided after its construction.
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4. In view of the aforesaid stand taken by respondent No.3 in the counter-affidavit, no further order is required to be passed in this Public Interest Litigation. The same is accordingly disposed of.
There shall be no order as to costs.
As a sequel, miscellaneous petitions, pending if any, stand closed.
__________________ ALOK ARADHE, CJ ________________________ ANIL KUMAR JUKANTI, J Date: 12.12.2023 Lrkm