STATUS, REVIVAL AND GREENING OF WATER BODIES IN DELHI Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Water bodies Wetlands: All submerged or water saturated lands, natural or manmade, inland or coastal, permanent or temporary, static or dynamic, vegetated or non-vegetated, which necessarily have a land-water interface. The following waterbodies are recognized as wetlands: • oxbow lakes, riverine marshes • freshwater lakes and associated marshes (lacustrine) • freshwater ponds (under 8 ha), marshes, swamps (palustrine) • shrimp ponds, fish ponds • shallow sea bays and straits (under six meters at low tide) • estuaries, deltas • sea beaches (sand, pebbles) • intertidal mudflats, sand flats • mangrove swamps, mangrove forest • coastal brackish and saline lagoons and marshes • salt pans (artificial) • rivers, streams – slow flowing (lower perennial) • rivers, streams – fast flowing (upper perennial) • salt lakes, saline marshes (inland drainage systems) • water storage reservoirs, dams • seasonally flooded grassland, savanna, palm savanna • rice paddies • flooded arable land, irrigated land • swamp forest, temporarily flooded forest • peat bogs • In the context of Delhi water bodies are to be defined as “Bodies of still waters in the urbanscape or ruralscape which are either naturally present or intentionally created” ( In a meeting 5th February, 2002 Commissioner, MCD of the several concerned govt. agencies in Delhi) • Areas of unintentional water logging along railway tracks, canals, highways are excluded”. Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Nature of Water bodies in Delhi Village Ponds:- Most of the water bodies are Village Ponds located in the revenue area of villages. The village ponds are mostly created water bodies having very small localized catchments for gathering rainwater. Most ponds present a picture of neglect. Some of the ponds have become absorbed in the urban area or village abadi area where they have been used to discharge the local waste waters and thus have become cess pools. Lakes:- • A few lakes remain. Most prominent are Bhalaswa Lake (a fresh water oxbow lake on the river floodplain). Another is Sanjay Lake [apparently a meander scour on the floodplain] in East Delhi. Marshes:- • Marshes are found mainly within the floodplain embankments. However Jahangirpuri Marshes, which is presently the largest waterbody in Delhi, is outside the floodplain embankments Step wells Bodies/Aquifers, Artisian Wells • They are created for drinking water purposes and get water out ground water. In In Delhi they are mostly with ASI. Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Why to Preserve Water bodies in Delhi - To augment the declining groundwater reserves. - To recharge aquifer and sustained tube wells operation in the local area -To have a Habitats for aquatic and avian bio-diversity -To add the visual attraction of the area -To moderate Micro-climate -To have Recreational possibilities -To reclaim Soil moisture to support vegetation growth in the localized area Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Problems to Survival of Waterbodies PHYSICAL THREATS • a) Waterbodies are interrupted due to increased urbanisation. • b) Water bodys catchments dry out quickly due to poor and erratic rainfall. • c) Most riverfed waterbodies are disconnected from the river because of intervening embankments • d) Siltation of waterbodies through settlement of soil flow with water inflow leading to eutrophication of waterbodies • E)Slugge and Dirty water in the water bodies due to settlement sewage flow including industrial waste. • e) Solid waste is disposed into some waterbodies to reclaim the land flyash disposal has been done in some waterbodies] • f) Village ponds are often marked for acquisition and reclamation by the govt. for various forms of social infrastructure [schools, dispensaries, sports facilities, parks. As the pond lands are public lands no acquisition proceedings or compensation • g) Ponds have become engulfed in the abadi area in many cases like Lal Dora. In certain case they have become/or becoming cesspools of waste water and the villagers are only too glad to have them filled up. Perception Threats • h) The poor quality of waterbodies, the remoteness and inaccessibility of most of them, as well as the poor quality of their surroundings put them rather low on the environmental radar and as such authorities have no much inclination about reclaiming them. • i)The even citizens also are quite unaware and unconcerned about them in many cases and therefore feel no stake in them. J)The rural citizen, having become reliant on tube wells and tankers also feel that they hardly need them. As such there is little pressure from the public on official agencies to preserve waterbodies. Others • k) Aquatic life and fish, which are the indicators of the health of a waterbody, are conspicuously absent inmost of the waterbodies. • l) Exact ownership and clarification : Area belongs to Revenue Deptt., if taken over by other Department, many years are taken to take over and during this time water body area is neglected of even protection. Similarly during transfer mention of point may also be carelessly marked. • m)Extraction of huge ground water lowered its level made many water bodies dried for many years and appear to be no water body Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Key Issues in Preservation of Waterbodies in Delhi • Preservation of waterbodies is not the mandate of single Government agency. The waterbodies come under jurisdiction of different agencies which have different as well poorly adaptive approachs towards their preservation or maintenance. Institutional arrangements in this regard are very weak. • Lack of precise no of water bodies, exact location, actual area of submergence, total catchment area etc. Inspite of the survey being conducted some doubts persist with regards to the precise number of waterbodies, the actual areas of submergence remain unmapped and unmeasured, the exact location of waterbodies with reference to village abadis remains unmapped. This hinders the development of an action plan as well as deprives monitoring of changes. • A major issue is whether every single waterbody should be preserved as it is or should the present available water spread be maintained on a reasonably dispersed basis. It may not be possible to rejuvenate all waterbodies or service each of them with water supply. Many of them are far too small to make any worthwhile impact on the aquifer. Should tiny waterbodies or cesspools in the midst of abadi areas be preserved or should they be allowed to be maintained as green? The lost waterspread is recreated elsewhere where it can be part of a larger waterbody and be maintained perennially as well. • Awareness about the surface waterbodies of Delhi and their potential is extremely low both in the Govt. as well as in the public mind. The public is not aware of its stakes in the preservation of wtaerbodies • Lack of proper and unified Action Plans and monitoring. Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Proposed Action Plan • The plan of action, is to be monitored by the Hon. High Court. • The first requirement the institutional arrangements under the aegis of which sustained work can take place where all the concerned agencies can be represented. As such it is proposed that a Waterbody Development Agency/Authority may be set up in Delhi on the lines of a similar Lake Development Authority in Bangalore. • As Such Nodal agency has been formed headed by the Chief Secretary, Govt. of NCT Delhi with representation from DDA, Delhi Jal Board, MCD and Department of Tourism, Delhi and others. Further, representatives from CPWD, ASI, NDMC, MCD is also designated for representing their agencies . NGO representation is also made. • Objectives : • a) To establish a mapped database of all waterbodies • b) To draw up action plans and follow them for preservation and maintenance o water bodies and water quality and surrounding development • c) To monitor changes in water bodies deciding each case on merit • d) To enforce periodical preservation of water bodies w.r.t. size and water quality) • e) To promote awareness about Delhi’s water bodies • f) To actively seek opportunities to enlarge the water and green spread in Delhi • g) To draw up plans for the use of water bodies for decentralized water supply and/or recreation and/or as biodiversity habitats Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT of Delhi Components of Action Plan for Each Waterbody i) Desiltation ii) Water Augmentation by linkage to canals, storm water drain or recycled water supply from STPs or waterlogging/floodwaters to waterbodies iii)Upgradation of waters through various bio-remediation techniques including fisheries iv) Sustainable decentralized water supply in rural areas by shallow tube wells based on the recharge effected through waterbodies followed by decentralized treatment [this would create a major stake in the sustenance of waterbodies] v) Landscape, Greening, biodiversity and recreational facilities to be incorporated with waterbodies and its watershed/catchment to make for visual attraction as well as public interest viii) Revenue generation aspects should be considered Delhi Parks And Gardens Society, Department of Environment, Govt. of NCT