Dwarka’s twin water bodies fail to reap monsoon harvest

With a bountiful monsoon this season, residents of Dwarka’s Nasirpur area were hoping that twin water bodies in their area would be filled to the brim. But due to continuous abuse, the water body has been unable to retain water and recharge the depleted groundwater table.

With a bountiful monsoon this season, residents of Dwarka’s Nasirpur area were hoping that twin water bodies in their area would be filled to the brim.

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But due to continuous abuse, the water body has been unable to retain water and recharge the depleted groundwater table.

As per the records of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which has been tasked with its maintenance, the water body in pocket 5 of Nasirpur is bifurcated into two parts — Nasirpur I and Nasirpur II.

But despite the lieutenantgovernor forming a monitoring committee comprising residents and activists to conserve water bodies across Dwarka in June, problems continue for these twin water bodies.

“Sewer from the neighbouring colonies flows into a portion of the water bodies. The lakes are also used for dumping construction debris and garbage,” said Arun Banerjee, a resident of neighbouring pocket 6.

The water body has a broken boundary wall and vehicles are parked on the land demarcated as water bodies.

“We are also concerned about DDA’s failure to divert storm water into the twin lakes to revive them,” Banerjee asked.

DDA said there is a court stay order on a portion of the bodies and the department concerned is working towards getting the order vacated.

“It is not feasible to divert storm water drains in Nasirpur I with entry from village side. However, Nasirpur II, situated on the other side, can be connected with storm water drain. But this can be done only when the stay order is vacated,” said HS Dharamsattu, DDA’s chief engineer, Dwarka.