Delhi LG reviews action plan on Jal Shakti Abhiyan

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal reviewed the action plan on the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (Urban) on Thursday and directed officials to keep the catchment areas of water bodies free from encroachment, official sources said.

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a campaign inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on "Jal Sanchay" (water conservation). It was launched by the Centre focussing on the conservation of rainwater and groundwater recharge and regeneration.

"Reviewed the progress of Jal Shakti Abhiyan and restoration and rejuvenation of water bodies with Chief Secretary Delhi, ACS (Environment), VC DDA, Commissioner DMCs, DJB, senior officials and experts.  "While appreciating the efforts made so far to ensure optimal usage of water, advised the officials to put in place appropriate provisions to incentivise water conservation and its economic usage and to disincentivise water wastage and leakage," Baijal tweeted after the meeting.

He further said the use of appropriate technological interventions to prevent water leakages in the supply chain was also stressed.

"Emphasis was laid on development and maintenance of catchment areas of water bodies for sustainable and enhanced water harnessing.

"Further to assess the outcome of water conservation efforts it was directed that a mechanism should be put in place to determine additional quantities of water added to the supply chain by way of rainwater harvesting and rejuvenation of water bodies," Baijal said in a series of tweets.

He also directed the environment department, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and all other stakeholder organisations to work in coordination to ensure effective and efficient water management in the city.

Official sources said the LG emphasised on the identification and geo-tagging of water bodies, cleaning of the existing water bodies, reuse of treated waste water, renovation of rain water harvesting (RWH) structures as well as creation of new RWH structures, a Jal Shakti Park and the setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras.

The LG reiterated that there is a need to quantifiably assess the wastage of water prevented and the amount of water generated by such efforts.

"With regards to the rejuvenation of water bodies, he directed the officials to also ensure that the catchment areas associated with these bodies are maintained and kept encroachment-free," officials said.

The LG asked the DJB CEO to adopt technologies so as to detect and plug leakage of water at the earliest on a real-time basis and also start putting in place systems that would enable the linking of the water saved, conserved and regenerated through the efforts under the Jal Shakti Mission to the water supply system of the city, the sources said. PTI AKM RC