Gurugram, Nov. 12 -- The Haryana government is examining a proposal to divert excess monsoon runoff to Damdama Lake and other water bodies to tackle recurring waterlogging in Gurugram and Delhi, officials said on Wednesday. DS Dhesi, principal adviser for urban development to the Haryana government, inspected Damdama Lake in Sohna on Wednesday to assess its potential as a rainwater storage site. He directed forest officials to identify 10 potential storage locations, primarily on land under municipal and panchayat jurisdictions, and prioritise expanding existing water bodies on government land in Gurugram and Manesar. The proposal forms part of a stormwater management plan being prepared by Japanese consultancy Nippon Koei for the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). A senior GMDA official said the proposed arrangement would involve storing rainwater in existing and new reservoirs before diverting excess runoff to Damdama Lake. Any remaining water would be channelled through the Nuh drain towards the Yamuna. Water stored in Damdama Lake could subsequently be used for agriculture and drinking purposes, the official said. Dhesi also directed Sohna subdivisional magistrate Abhishek Yadav to submit details of the ownership of forest land adjoining the lake, based on revenue records, by Thursday morning. The consultant's preliminary report presents four options. The first proposes diverting 43% of rainwater to Damdama Lake, while the second envisages storing 83% in artificial water bodies across the city. The third would divert 55% to the Nuh drain, while the fourth proposes storing 55% in Damdama Lake. GMDA has identified 111 water bodies larger than two acres for restoration and potential rainwater storage. "These water bodies and ponds are being revived to divert and store rainwater under the proposed plan. The city also has 1,676 parks larger than two acres, where underground tanks are planned to store rainwater," the official said. The official said the authority favoured an option maximising storage in natural ponds, creeks and parks. Tunnels and pipelines would move runoff to storage areas. Reducing discharge into the Najafgarh drain is another objective. Under the four options, between 3% and 24% of runoff would enter the drain. GMDA officials said it has a carrying capacity of 10,000 cusecs but receives around 15,000 cusecs during the monsoon. The plan also identifies low-lying areas along three existing stormwater drains. The proposed system is being designed to handle rainfall of 62mm an hour, compared with the existing system's stated capacity of 5mm an hour, officials said....