1,500 new rainwater harvesting pits by July 15, says Sisodia

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said over 1,500 new rainwater harvesting pits will be ready by July 15 to tackle the problem of waterlogging and make the city self-reliant for water.

Sisodia said this after a review meeting with officials of all the nodal agencies for rainwater harvesting pits and waterlogging ahead of the monsoon season. "Work is going on on a war footing ahead of the rainy season to save the rainwater in Delhi. With an aim to make Delhi self-sufficient for water, 1,548 new rainwater harvesting pits will be readied by July 15. Reviewed the ongoing work on these with all the nodal agencies," he said in a tweet after the meeting.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Public Works Department, the Delhi Jal Board, the Delhi Development Authority, the irrigation and flood control department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board. Sisodia also said the number of rainwater harvesting pits will be increased to 2,475 subsequently.

He said these pits will help recharge the groundwater and reduce waterlogging during monsoon. The pits would collect storm water during monsoon, which percolates and recharges the groundwater.

Earlier this month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Denmark's Ambassador Freddy Swain and discussed rainwater harvesting pits, avenues for collaboration in round-the-clock tap water supply, air purity and world-class roads.

Kejriwal had asked Swain for a presentation on Denmark's efforts on recharging groundwater and reducing air pollution so that the Delhi government could work with the European country in implementing the model here.