Delhi restores around 700 rainwater harvesting systems: Minister

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) The Delhi government has completed the restoration work of around 700 rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems across the city, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Thursday. Singh was on an inspection visit to the restored RWH system at Thyagraj Stadium and reviewed the progress of the city-wide programme. "Rainwater harvesting allows rainwater to recharge the groundwater table, ensuring water availability throughout the year. Currently, borewells are drying up because groundwater is being extracted faster than it is replenished," Singh said. The minister informed that the Delhi government has taken up the restoration of 1,000 existing rainwater harvesting systems and the construction of 500 new RWH structures across government offices, schools, hospitals, stadiums and other public institutions. "Significant progress has already been achieved. Around 400 existing rainwater harvesting systems have already been restored, while work is under progress on more than 400 additional systems, taking the total number of completed and ongoing restoration works to over 800," Singh said. Similarly, against the target of constructing 500 new rainwater harvesting structures, nearly 100 have been completed and more than 250 are under construction, with work progressing rapidly across departments. In addition, the Delhi Jal Board has independently undertaken the restoration of 611 existing rainwater harvesting systems, of which 330 have already been completed, 120 are under progress, and work on the remaining sites is being taken up in phases. Singh further said that the government is considering measures to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for all new borewell permissions, ensuring that groundwater extraction is matched by groundwater recharge. PTI SSM SSM MDO MDO