On 16 July, Thursday, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma and PWD Minister surveyed Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium’s restored rainwater harvesting system; they enforced PM Modi’s action plan towards rainwater conservation, “Catch the Rain—Where it Falls, When it Falls.” They have introduced a mission board of rainwater harvesting systems across Delhi.
After inspection, Water Minister Parevesh Varma stated, “Dropping groundwater in Delhi is a huge problem we have to figure out. We decided to conserve every single drop of rainwater in the harvesting system.”
Water Minister said, “PM Narendra Modi has provided the nation with the mantra ‘Catch the Rain.’ The rainwater harvesting allows replenishment of the groundwater table, ensuring water remains available around the year.
The water minister stressed that day by day, bore wells are drying, and groundwater does not reach down. The groundwater being extracted faster could not recharge naturally.
The Water Minister added that the Delhi government has implemented PM Modi’s vision, Catch Rain Water, as a mission. They are working to make this model in every government body.
According to him, the Delhi government restored 1,000 rainwater harvesting systems and the new construction of 500 harvesting system structures across government offices, schools, public institutions, and hospitals.
He confirmed that more than 800 rainwater harvesting systems have been restored and some are under construction; 400 existing rainwater harvesting systems have been restored, and more than 400 existing rainwater harvesting systems are under construction.
The Water Minister and PWD Minister aimed to develop 500 new rainwater harvesting systems across Delhi; they both confirmed approx. 100 new rainwater-harvesting systems have already been developed, and more than 250 rainwater-harvesting systems are in progress.
Verma informed the media: the Delhi Jal Board estimates 611 existing harvesting systems are undertaken for restoration, 330 are completed, and 120 are in progress.
Verma said that teams from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Public Works Department (PWD) are jointly inspecting government premises to ensure that all existing rainwater harvesting systems are fully functional. Wherever needed, new systems are also being installed.
He added that the Delhi government is also considering making rainwater harvesting mandatory for all new borewell approvals, with the aim of ensuring that groundwater recharge keeps pace with groundwater extraction and helps maintain the city’s water balance.
