Greater Noida authority to increase Ganga water supply to 111 urban villages

Greater Noida authority aims to increase its supply of piped drinking Ganga water to 111 villages from the current 43 by the end of October

Greater Noida authority aims to increase its supply of piped drinking Ganga water to 111 villages from the current 43 by the end of October.

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The decision was moved considering the fast-depleting groundwater level in the city. Last month, HT had reported that the groundwater depth had increased to more than 30 metres at many parts of Gautam Budh Nagar. Among the other areas that registered the steepest drops were Gulistanpur Primary school in Greater Noida where the groundwater fell by 8.87m (from 10.65m in 2019 to 19.52m in 2020). In Delta-3 of Greater Noida, the water levels increased by 3.59m, while in the Bisrakh Block the increase was 2.98m.

“Once the Ganga water delivery begins these villages will not have to depend on groundwater,” said Deep Chand additional chief executive officer of the Greater Noida authority.

There are 254 villages under the authority’s jurisdiction. and most depend on groundwater for their daily needs. But other officials said they had received complaints that even this water was salty and unfit for drinking forcing people to rely on expensive water tanker supply.

Chand said the authority will deliver piped Ganga water supply to all the urban centres and villages in the next two to three years.

The ₹291. 77-crore project to supply Ganga water to Greater Noida households has missed several deadlines since it was first announced in 2010. In January, the Greater Noida Authority had announced it will start supply by April 30, 2021. But the city of 100,000households, needing almost 210million litres a day of water, still relies heavily on ground water.