22-05-2025
SMC reduces registration fee for rainwater harvesting from Rs 5000 to Rs 100 for residential societies
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has reduced the registration fees, from Rs 5000 to Rs 100, per connection, for the residential societies in Surat, officials familiar with the matter move is aimed at increasing the number of rainwater harvesting connections, said sources.
Sources in SMC said that the project will be carried out using a PPP (Public Private Partnership) model, in which the state government will bear 70 per cent of the expense, 20 per cent will be taken from the MLA and municipal councillors' funds, and the remaining 10 per cent will be borne by the SMC.
SMC water committee chairman and BJP councillor Himanshu Raolji recently met with SMC Hydraulic and Water Department officials to assess the situation regarding 'public awareness and interest in rainwater harvesting'.
Talking to the Indian Express, SMC BJP councilor and water committee chairman Himanshu Raolji said, 'During the meeting, the SMC officials were strictly instructed to work on the applications received from residential societies for rainwater harvesting. We have also told them to speed up the work before the monsoon season.'
He said, 'In March, the SMC Standing Committee had passed a resolution to collect Rs 100 as online registration fees from the residential societies. The society president and secretary can send a proposal on the society letterhead, taking the consent of the residents. The proposal should be submitted online'.
'Earlier the SMC used to charge Rs 5000 for the entire documentation process. Now, the society has to submit only a single document with only Rs 100 as registration fees. We are also carrying awareness drives among the residents. The zonal heads of all nine SMC zones have been tasked to work effectively on this subject,' Raolji said.
Sources said that the civic body has completed rainwater harvesting on over 2,000 SMC properties.
SMC Hydraulic Department Executive Engineer Minesh Patel said, 'So far, we have installed rainwater harvesting projects in 40 residential societies in Surat city. We have received 125 applications from residential societies in the city. The work on the same is going on'.
'After receiving the applications, SMC teams visit the society and examine the areas…once the documentation process is complete, the work will start. The expenses vary depending on the areas, and range between Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakh.' Surat city Mayor Daxesh Mawani said, ' The decision to charge Rs 100 as registration fees was taken in March. We will carry out a massive awareness drive in all the zones. The SMC officials have been told to speed up the work on this and get as many societies covered as possible before the onset of the monsoon season.'
