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Jal Board plans barrage on Yamuna

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Bid to tide over water crisis and avoid wastage

NEW DELHI: To tide over the water crisis that the city faces post monsoon and also to avoid wastage of the precious commodity, the Delhi Jal Board has proposed construction of a barrage at Palla from where the Yamuna enters Delhi.

The Board, which has submitted the proposal to the Central Water Commission (CWC), claims that a barrage at Palla village 20 km upstream of Wazirabad barrage can act as a reservoir for Delhi.

"The proposal has been submitted, and the CWC is looking at the technical feasibility of the project," said Chief Executive Officer of DJB Arun Mathur.

Expressing optimism that the project will get the go-ahead from the CWC, Mr. Mathur said: "During monsoon we get plenty of water, which goes waste. Delhi stretch is not merely Wazirabad barrage; it is another 22 km further up toward Palla. If a barrage is allowed to come up at Palla within Delhi's territory, we can use it to block the water that we receive during monsoon. Once the monsoon season is over, the Palla barrage can act as a storage of 20 km between Palla and Wazirabad."

The Palla barrage is expected to meet the city's demand for water during the lean months, owing to its capacity to store water between 40 days to two months.

"Right now we can block water only at the Wazirabad barrage and then lift it for the water treatment plant. The Wazirabad barrage's capacity to store water is limited to two to three days," added Mr. Mathur.

Explaining how the Palla barrage will make the city less reliant on its neighbours for more water during peak demand, the DJB CEO said: "As of now we are dependent on a daily supply of water from the river and the moment the levels dips a little, we raise a hue and cry and have to seek more water from Haryana through the Munak channel. Once we have a barrage we can store water for later use."

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