Centre and state must work together: Kejriwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 21

Delhi faces acute shortage of water, especially during summer months, and the depletion of groundwater augments the problem. Finding a solution for the same, the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control mulls natural storage of water in the Yamuna floodplains to fulfil the requirements of residents of the state.

CM Arvind Kejriwal said on the implementation of this project, the water stored in single monsoon would be sufficient to meet Delhi’s water requirements for two years. Kejriwal, during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House this morning, discussed the project with him and sought Central Government’s cooperation to implement the same.

The CM appealed to the Centre to cooperate in the implementation of this water storage project, which had been recommended by several expert groups, including a study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

Ankit Srivasta, consultant, Hydraulics and Water Body, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), said, “Under the project, the excess water during monsoon would be stored in floodplains and be utilised in non-monsoon period.” 

He said the DJB is fully prepared and the preliminary report of the project. “The department will start the work as soon as a green signal is received for the project,” said Srivasta, who is working on this project.

In his meeting with the Prime Minister, Kejriwal also congratulated him for having led his party to victory in the recent Lok Sabha elections. 

The CM assured the PM of Delhi Government’s full cooperation in the further development of the national capital and appealed that the Delhi Government and Centre should work together for the development of the capital.