Delhi to become 'city of lakes', will act as refreshing spots, says CM
New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday inspected the Sannoth lake which is being revived in Bawana and will be converted into a tourist attraction. Sisodia said that the Delhi government is renovating 50 such lakes in the Capital which have lost their identity or have dried up, and this will not only recharge the groundwater in the Capital but will also eliminate the issue of water scarcity.
In a tweet about the rejuvenation of lakes across Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "After becoming 'city of tirangas', Delhi is set to become 'city of lakes'. Soon, we will have so many beautiful lakes across Delhi. They will act as refreshing spots for local people and tourist spots for outsiders."
During his visit to the lake, Deputy CM Sisodia personally reviewed the works of various units ongoing in the project and further gave suggestions on numerous aspects to the officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), which is part of the lake rejuvenation project being run by the Delhi government.
Sisodia said that to achieve the goal of rejuvenating Sannoth lake, the Delhi government is taking help from experts. Post rejuvenation, the lake will have facilities like playground for children, picnic garden, walkway, Chhath puja ghat, and a gym for the general public.
The Delhi government is also planting various types of trees like neem, semal, champa, and babool around the lake in order to boost the natural habitat and create an ecosystem.
Along with this, the Deputy CM also said that the rejuvenation of the lake will ensure groundwater recharge. He said, "The recycled water from the 1 MLD natural sewage treatment plant (STP) in the Ghogha drain will be used to revive the lake. The natural sewage treatment plant (STP) at Ghoga Drain is based on the wetland system and treats dirty water without electricity. Instructions have been given to the department to increase the capacity of this STP soon, so that the lake remains full throughout the year. It will also ensure that maximum underground water recharge is done. After the work of this project is completed, it will be open to tourists."
He further added that to save the rain water, it is very important to keep the water bodies alive and said: "Sannoth lake would be a better place for picnic spots, sightseeing, and sports, besides morning and evening walks. The lake will also serve as a sink for carbon storage. It will be home to many species of plants, birds, and animals."
Under the lake rejuvenation project 250 reservoirs and 23 lakes are being revived by the government in the first phase. It aims at preventing urban flooding and creating various reservoirs to avoid blocked drains. The Delhi government is rejuvenating the lakes using the 'Sustainable Model'.
