TAMIL NADU
Reform
• Through an ordinance titled Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws Ordinance, 2003, dated July 19, 2003, the Government of Tamil Nadu has made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all the buildings, both public and private, in the state. The deadline to construct rainwater harvesting structures was August 31, 2003. Municipal Administration and Water Supply (WS1) Department through a Government Order dated Nov. 2002, assigned Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department as the Nodal Departments for RWH, proposed setting up of State level and District Level Coordination Committees and propagated RWH in Government Buildings. It made it mandatory for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, all MCs, Municipalities, etc to sanction building plans only after implementation of RWH. Water and sewer connection would not be given to new buildings without RWH.
• Notification to Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated October 2002 for Provision of Water Conservation Measures, Amendments to Chennai city
Corporation Building Rules, 1972 and Special Rules for the Multi storeyed and Public Buildings, 1974, Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation of Madurai, Madurai Municipal Corporation Building (Water Conservation) Rules, 2002.
• Government of Tamil Nadu published a notification in the Tamil Nadu Gazette to make amendments to Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act 1919, Tamil Nadu District
Municipalities Act 1920, Madurai City Municipal Corporation 1971 and Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act 1981 to make RWH mandatory. Under these amendments
RWH was also made mandatory for all Government buildings
• RWH has been made mandatory in three storied buildings irrespective of the size of rooftop area
Steps taken / Status