- By Shibra Siddiqui
- Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:47 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The union territory, Chandigarh, has decided to install rain harvesting structures on all government buildings, schools, and anganwadi centres in the city by November 2025 under the central government’s ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2025’ initiative. The move is intended to promote artificial recharge of the groundwater by preserving rainwater.
Home secretary-cum-secretary water resources, UT, Mandip Singh Brar, had taken a meeting to review the groundwater situation and the progress of the same. The meeting also discussed the action plan to harvest rainwater in the Union Territories.
The meeting, chaired by Brar, discussed the action plan to recharge groundwater artificially as it analysed the current status of groundwater in the city.
During the meeting, along with the decision of installing rainharvesting structures on all government buildings, schools, and anganwadi centres in Chandigarh by November 2025, it was also that advisory be issued to autonomous bodies, such as PU and PGI, and governments of Haryana, Punjab, and Central to construct rainwater harvesting systems in their premises. All the rain harvesting systems that are currently in place in the UT shall be geo-tagged.
A cleaning drive is also being held to improve the functioning of existing harvesting systems, whether government or private, from April 1 to 7, 2025. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the meeting also discussed the way to involve the community in the new initiative. The members present in the meeting also discussed the scope to build rainwater harvesting systems in community centres and schools under CSR initiatives.
Brar directed all the concerned departments to complete their work on time and upload the same on the designated online portals. Notably, the meeting will serve as a critical point of reference for the upcoming plans and strategies related to rainwater harvesting in Chandigarh.