Appealing to citizens to take up rainwater harvesting, Municipal Commissioner M Hari Narayanan has said rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS) will be enforced in buildings under semi-bulk category water connection.

About 4500 to 5000 apartment complexes and commercial buildings come under the category and they must have RWHS, he told reporters here. They would be given one month to 45 days time to do it.

"With urbanisation and laying of cement and concrete roads, previous layers will be reduced increasing the necessity for conservation. We are trying our best to make up for it by raising greenery," he said.

Besides, resident welfare associations and colony associations, particularly VUDA colonies, should come forward to take up rainwater harvesting, he said. While GVMC was taking up plantation under "Vanam-Manam" programme of the State government, residents and RWAS should also come forward and participate, he said. If residents inform zone commissioners, they would participate. It would also help them avoid duplication.

While 150 additional field staff were taken to fight mosquito menace, residents passing on information about fever in the neighbourhood would help zero in on affected areas and take up anti-larvae operations, Mr Hari Narayanan said.

Tenders would be called for more fogging vehicles too.

De-silting of most of the drains was completed ahead of rains and the city was the first to do so in the entire State. The coming up of private structures was being monitored in view of the danger they faced and recently 10 families were evacuated.

Dilapidated houses were proposed to be reconstructed, particularly in the One Town area, and at Chilakapeta 68 families would be covered under the “Housing for All” scheme.