GHAZIABAD: The GDA has begun actions against residential societies that lack rainwater harvesting systems. Inspections of over 650 societies revealed that numerous buildings either did not have these systems or had installations that were non-functioning.
According to building bylaws, plots or group housing societies larger than 300 sqm must have rainwater harvesting systems; failing to comply could result in fines of up to Rs 3 lakh.
“Our enforcement team has been tasked with inspecting each zone, after which notices will be issued to those not in compliance,” stated a GDA official.
Many societies reportedly also fail to maintain their systems properly, leading to malfunctions. The district administration plans to install rainwater harvesting systems in all its 189 buildings; more than 40 systems have already been successfully installed.
The Central Ground Water Board’s national compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India 2024 indicates that the groundwater extraction rate in Ghaziabad stands at 124.04%, the highest among all 75 districts in the state.
This report also notes that the total annual groundwater discharge in Ghaziabad for 2024 was 4282.21 hectare/m. Hydrologist Anikta Ray explained, “This annual discharge refers to water that was wasted or failed to infiltrate the ground due to factors like concretisation.”
In 2024, groundwater recharge in Ghaziabad was significantly greater during the monsoon season (15,558 Ham) than in the non-monsoon season (539.38 Ham). Nevertheless, the city’s groundwater levels have been deteriorating since 2017, with data showing an average pre-monsoon depletion of 9.5 m and an average post-monsoon depletion of 8.64 m between 2017 and 2024.
