Building Construction Environment Management Regulations, 2022

March 5, 2022

On 28^th February 2022, the Central government issued a draft notification of the Building Construction Environment Management Regulations, 2022.

About the draft regulations

The draft regulations were issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change. The ministry has invited public feedback on the regulations over the next two months.

Provisions

Buildings with a built-up area of or more than 5000 square meters are covered under the rules. This even includes the expansion and renovation of existing buildings.
For every 80 square meters of land, at least one tree should be planted within construction sites for all buildings. Thus the plot should have at least 10% green cover. This increases green spaces in urban areas.
Stripping of topsoil is allowed only up to a maximum depth of 20 cm for any construction including buildings, pavements, etc. The stripped topsoil should be collected, stored, and used for plantation purposes to meet conditions under the rules.
The rules made Rainwater harvesting or groundwater recharge systems compulsory. Also, Central Ground Water Authority’s (CGWA’s) approval is mandatory to use groundwater for the construction of buildings.
Construction is strictly prohibited on wetlands and water bodies. This provision, if strictly implemented, will prevent encroachments and will reduce urban floods, which is recently witnessed in many cities.
It is also mandatory to install on-site sewage plants with 100% wastewater treatment if there is no common sewage plant. Dual plumbing systems should be incorporated. One is for the supply of fresh water and another is for the supply of treated wastewater. Thus, it encourages greywater management.

The ministry stated that if these rules conflict with any other rules or regulations, the strict rule among them will be applicable.

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