India, July 17 -- The Delhi government has intensified its rainwater harvesting campaign, with more than 750 rainwater harvesting (RWH) projects either completed or under execution across government institutions, as it seeks to improve groundwater recharge and strengthen the Capital's long-term water security. PWD and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh on Thursday inspected the restored rainwater harvesting system at Thyagraj Stadium and reviewed the progress of the city-wide programme launched in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Catch the Rain - Where it Falls, When it Falls" campaign. Addressing the media, Singh said conserving rainwater has become critical as groundwater levels continue to decline across the city. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the nation the mantra of 'Catch the Rain'. Rainwater harvesting allows rainwater to recharge the groundwater table, ensuring water availability throughout the year. Today, borewells are drying up because groundwater is being extracted faster than it is replenished. The Delhi Government has adopted the Prime Minister's vision as a mission and is working to make every government institution a model of water conservation," he said.
The minister said the government has undertaken the restoration of 1,000 existing rainwater harvesting systems and the construction of 500 new RWH structures in government offices, schools, hospitals, stadiums and other public institutions. According to the government, around 400 existing systems have already been restored, while work is underway on over 400 more, taking the total number of completed and ongoing restoration works to over 800. Of the target to build 500 new structures, nearly 100 have been completed and more than 250 are under construction. Separately, the Delhi Jal Board has taken up restoration of 611 existing RWH systems, completing work on 330, while 120 are under various stages of execution. Singh said officials from the Delhi Jal Board and PWD are jointly inspecting government premises to ensure all existing systems are made functional and new ones are installed wherever required. He added that the government is also examining making rainwater harvesting mandatory for new borewell permissions. "Every restored rainwater harvesting system and every new structure strengthens Delhi's water security. This is not just an infrastructure project, it is an investment in the future of our city and the generations to come," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.