Delhi to install modern rainwater harvesting systems in 75 CM Shri Schools

The project will include technical audits and restoration of existing rainwater harvesting systems, installation of new rooftop rainwater harvesting units, recharge pits, filtration systems, pipelines, tanks and borewells. Water conservation awareness programmes will also be organised for students and teachers, while maintenance and technical support will be provided for a year.

Addressing the event, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "Water conservation is not merely an environmental necessity, but the foundation of a secure future for coming generations."

She added that the Delhi Government was promoting education and environmental conservation together and that this initiative would strengthen sustainable water management in government schools.

The Chief Minister said the government's goal was to make government schools so well equipped that parents would prefer these over private institutions. She also described the initiative as an important step towards implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “Catch the Rain” vision in Delhi.

Highlighting the project's future expansion, Rekha Gupta said, "The initiative will not remain limited to just 75 schools." She expressed hope that the model would eventually be expanded to nearly 800 Delhi Government schools and later to all government schools in the Capital, making rainwater harvesting an integral part of school infrastructure.

The project is expected to recharge nearly 2 lakh litres of groundwater annually in each participating school. Progress will be monitored through geo tagged photographs, utilisation certificates and regular evaluations over the 12-month implementation period.

Ehsaas NGO will execute the project and ensure construction quality and safety standards, while the Directorate of Education will provide administrative support and take the responsibility for maintaining the systems after completion.

The IGL will fund the entire initiative.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said, "Under the guidance of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, continuous efforts are being made to make CM Shri Schools distinct from ordinary schools." He added that CM Shri Schools would provide students with modern education aligned with the National Education Policy, Science of Living and Sustainable Development Goals.

Calling the initiative part of the government's broader environmental vision, Sood said, "The ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign is an integral part of this broader vision." He also noted that the Delhi Government has already set a target of converting all 1,000 government schools into Zero Waste campuses.