Government buildings in Puducherry flout laws, have non-functioning rainwater harvesting structures: CAG report

More than five years after the Puducherry government amended the Building By-laws and Zoning Regulations and included rainwater harvesting structures as a mandatory requirement in all buildings, a majority of government schools in Puducherry and Karaikal regions are yet to comply with the guidelines, either for storage or recharge of ground water, according to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

More than five years after the Puducherry government amended the Building By-laws and Zoning Regulations and included rainwater harvesting structures as a mandatory requirement in all buildings, a majority of government schools in Puducherry and Karaikal regions are yet to comply with the guidelines, either for storage or recharge of ground water, according to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

According to CAG’s observations, out of 300 government schools of Puducherry, rainwater harvesting structures had been created only in 158 schools as of 2021. Of these, the rainwater harvesting structures were non-functional in around 41 schools. Similarly, in respect of Karaikal regions, these structures were created only in five schools as against 60 schools.

Government buildings in Puducherry, which were under the maintenance of the Public Works Department (PWD) had rainwater harvesting structures, but they were non-functional due to non-maintenance. The structures had not been created in any of the government buildings maintained by the PWD Divisions in Karaikal and Yanam regions so far, the report said.

According to the report, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the Public Health Division had supplied 4,702 new water connections during 2017-21, without ensuring the receipt of occupancy certificates. The rainwater harvesting cell was also constituted belatedly, only in August 2019.

“Though the Member Secretary of the Puducherry Planning Authority (PPA) directed the rainwater harvesting cell to inspect the buildings for which approval has been accorded and to submit monthly enforcement and monitoring report within the first week of every month, no such regular inspections were conducted by PPA till date,” the report observed.

Similarly, the Karaikal Planning Authority (KPA) had issued 2,202 permits for construction of various types of buildings during 2017-21. The audit noticed that during 2017-21, as many as 1,438 new water connections were given by the Irrigation and Public Health Division, Karaikal without ensuring occupancy certificate from KPA.

The CAG also pulled up the PWD for letting out sewage into the sea without treatment, violating the Coastal Regulation Zone notification.