By Sanket Pathak
New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS): Nilothi lakes are the most important among the seven big projects of Delhi government, wherein artificial lakes are being made to make the national capital the city of lakes.
Three lakes are being constructed in Nilothi village on the outskirts of Delhi. Delhi Jal Board is constructing the three lakes simultaneously on a barren land near the Nilothi sewage treatment plant (STP). The entire project is spread over 11 acres, and the cost of the project is around Rs 4.49 crore.
About 80 per cent of the work, including excavation, has been completed. From water filling to beautification, the work is expected to be completed by December this year. The creation of the lakes will not only increase the groundwater level, but will also generate an 'ecosystem' in the region.
According to the Delhi Jal Board, the motive behind constructing the three lakes is to recharge the groundwater level and to meet the water shortage in the surrounding villages. Some small villages are located around the lakes, which often face shortage of water. After the construction of the lakes, these problems of the people are expected to be reduced.
An official of the Delhi Jal Board said that the lakes would be filled with the treated water from the sewage treatment plant there. To increase the groundwater level, piezometers will also be installed in the lakes, which will give information about the level of water. Not only this, soon the capacity of Nilothi STP will also be increased so that the lakes remain full of clean water throughout the year.
According to sources, in some of the lakes dug in the first phase, the water level had increased from one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half metres. Now they are being made deeper, so that the water level is increased as much as possible. There will be no shortage of water even if there is less rainfall or if there is no supply of water in sufficient quantity once the project is complete.
As per the Delhi Jal Board, all the works of Nilothi lake construction are being done following the environmental norms. Once the project is complete, the lakes are likely to be opened for tourists.