Plans to revive water bodies as city stares at ‘water crisis’
NEWDELHI: Until a month ago, the three acres of wasteland in the middle of Jaunapur village was used for grazing cattle. It was difficult to utilise it for any other purpose as the land was filled with Vilayati Kikar.
However, following repeated requests by residents, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) last month took up the task of developing a portion of land (0.9 acre) into a park and reviving a water body — which had dried up 20 years ago — in the rest 2.1 acre land. Besides Jaunapur, SDMC plans to revive water bodies at seven other villages such as Aya Nagar and Ghitorni.
“We have got the sites transferred from Delhi revenue department and are preparing detail project reports. On a pilot basis, work has started at two places — Bhim Basti and Jaunapur. The project will be implemented by year-end,” said SDMC commissioner Puneet Goel.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) too has decided to revive 200 water bodies to raise groundwater levels and the environment department is planning to plant trees around the water bodies.
However, experts believe that the situation on the ground won’t change till the government agencies work seriously. “The projects are doable. Reviving water bodies through treated sewer water and supplying it to nearby areas by installing bore wells will improve local water management. However, such announcements were made earlier too but nothing happened,” said Jyoti Sharma, founder of Force NGO.
HT looks at what the agencies are doing to fix the problem.
SDMC PROJECT TO CONSERVE WATER
At Jaunapur and Bhim Basti, the SDMC is creating slopes to divert stormwater drains into water bodies. “We have initiated the tendering process for installing Sewage Treatment Plants of 50,000-1 lakh litre capacity,” said SDMC mayor Narender Chawla. Besides, 813 trees have been planted at the two sites to recharge groundwater.
Area councillor Ved Pal said, “Ten years ago, the Delhi government had taken up a similar project. But the task was left midway. So we are contacting the civic body regularly to ensure the project is implemented.”
DJB PROJECT TO RAISE GROUNDWATER LEVELS
Warned by the NITI Aayog that the city could run out of groundwater by 2020, the Delhi government is planning to recharge the groundwater aquifers.
Besides DJB’S decision to revive 200 water bodies, plans are afoot to launch a pilot project wherein water from STPS would be injected into aquifers to increase the water table.
But experts say these plans would be successful only when ground issues are sorted out. “Most of these water bodies are encroached upon or turned into disputed lands,” said Sharma.
Vinod Jain, founder of Tapas, said, “The biological oxygen demand, which indicates the level of organic pollution, is high in treated water. Thus aquatic organism can survive in it. It would also lead to contamination of groundwater. Unless we install STPS supported by better technology, things will not improve.”