NEW DELHI:
Delhi Government & Denmark will explore avenues of collaboration in groundwater recharge & power generation from stubble in Delhi. A delegation of experts led by the Ambassador of Denmark gave a detailed presentation to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today in this context. The delegation also apprised the CM of modern technologies for recharging groundwater through rainwater & generating power from paddy stubble that can be put to use in Delhi.
Kejriwal said, “Delhi Government is working on a war-footing to provide 24×7 water supplies to every household of Delhi. We are keen to implement new solutions to augment our water supply capacity. The Delhi Government will soon implement state-of-the-art solutions to enhance the state’s groundwater recharge and extraction infrastructure. Delhi depends on neighbouring states for raw water. We want to make Delhi self-sustainable by radically increasing the water table by recharging groundwater.”
A delegation of experts led by the Ambassador of Denmark to India HE Freddy Swain met with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat today. The delegation had come to present Denmark’s solutions on groundwater recharge & power generation from stubble to the CM and held an extensive discussion with him on ways in which they can be adapted in Delhi.
It was decided that Delhi and Denmark will further explore avenues of collaboration in the sectors of groundwater recharge and power generation from stubble. This presentation came in the backdrop of a recently held meeting between CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal and Danish Ambassador HE Freddy Swain where the CM had sought a presentation from Danish experts on their successful sustainability solutions in the fields of water, pollution & power. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia and DDC Vice Chairperson Shri Jasmine Shah were also present during the meeting.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thoroughly studied and analysed how groundwater recharge, groundwater extraction and sewage management takes place in Denmark during the meeting. He said, “The main problem that we are facing in Delhi is that groundwater recharging isn’t being implemented in a systematic and organised manner.”
He asked the delegation to present models as per which the groundwater recharge and extraction could be implemented in Delhi as both short term and long term solutions. “We expect the monsoon to arrive by August and stay till mid-September. The Delhi Government is working on a war-footing to provide 24×7 water supply to every household of Delhi. We are keen to implement a solution where we can expand the ambit of groundwater recharge & conservation by this monsoon itself. We are looking to implement certain projects in mission mode to store rainwater and recharge groundwater on a large scale,” he added.
The Chief Minister further directed Deputy Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia to immediately hold a meeting with the delegation of Denmark in presence of geological experts and chalk out a plan assessing the feasibility of such projects and discuss how soon they can be implemented on the ground. The CM laid focus on augmentation of Delhi’s water supply capacity in the longer run.
“We aim to figure out a plan for the longer run as well so that Delhi’s groundwater capacity can be radically augmented. Delhi depends on its neighbouring states for raw water. We wish to make Delhi self-sustainable by recharging groundwater in such a manner that the state’s water table can come up and become feasible for supply after treatment,” he said.
During the meeting, the delegation also discussed its solutions on stubble management and presented a promising solution of power generation from paddy straw. They apprised the CM of how stubble can be put to alternative use and even be used as an advanced biofuel.
The Chief Minister’s Office tweeted, “A delegation of experts led by Ambassador of Denmark H.E. Shri Freddy Swain met with CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal at Delhi Secretariat today. Delhi and Denmark will explore possibilities of collaboration in areas of groundwater recharge & power generation from paddy straw.”