Delhi CM inaugurates underground reservoir, demands more water

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 29

Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal today inaugurated a 110 lakh-litre underground reservoir (UGR) and booster pumping station at Patparganj here.

The project will benefit the residents of eight colonies including Pandav Nagar, Mayur Kunj, Pratap Vihar, Patparganj and Chilla. It will also supply water to 31 societies of Mayur Vihar Phase I.

Kejriwal said, “Now, the residents of Patparganj and neighbouring areas will not face hardships due to water scarcity. The AAP-led government has increased water production in the city by 129 million gallon per day (MGD) in past seven years. In 2015, only 861 MGD water was being supplied in Delhi. This has, now, risen to 990 MGD.” The government has set up several tube wells to extract groundwater, he added.

Seeks 1,300 MGD

The city is still getting 800 MGD water from the Ganga and Yamuna. This quantity was allocated as per the population in 1997-98. Today, Delhi’s population is around 2.5 crore. The Centre should increase water allocation from these rivers to 1,300 MGD. — Arvind Kejriwal, Cheif Minister, Delhi

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who was also present on the occasion, said, “The population in the area has increased over the decades. In order to ensure uninterrupted water supply in the area, about 18 km of pipelines in the streets and a 4-kilometre main pipeline were laid in the area.”

The CM said in the past seven years, 12 UGRs, 3 water treatment plants, 1 water recycling plant, 500 tube wells were set up while 2,250-km pipelines were laid.

Demanding more water allocation from the Centre, he said the city was still getting 800 MGD water from the Ganga and the Yamuna. “This quantity was allocated as per the population in 1997-98, which was 80 lakh. Today, Delhi’s population is around 2.5 crore. The Central Government should increase the water allocation from Yamuna and the Ganga to 1,300 MGD,” he added.