Speaker Vijender Gupta calls for urgent institutional action to secure water future

New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Wednesday called for urgent, multi-layered institutional efforts to address the Capital’s growing water crisis. Speaking at the seminar “Jal aur Prakriti (Water and Environment)”—organised by NGO Sampurna—Gupta stressed that collaborative governance and structured deliberations are key to protecting the city’s water future. The event marked 30 days of Sampurna’s 40-day water awareness campaign. Gupta announced plans to explore the effectiveness of the Wetland Authority under Delhi’s Department of Environment and said the issue may be raised in the Legislative Assembly if necessary.

Highlighting the importance of integrating water education into national curricula, he pointed to the North China University of Water Resources as a model and advocated for blending traditional knowledge with modern practices to rejuvenate Delhi’s water bodies.

“We must transform rainwater from a liability into a lifeline,” Gupta said, proposing urban waterlogging during monsoons be turned into groundwater recharge opportunities.

He also praised national initiatives like Mission Amrit Sarovar and Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025, calling them “blueprints for national revival.” Dr. Shobha Vijender, founder-president of Sampurna, warned against irresponsible consumption, stating, “We are borrowing a grave concern from tomorrow.”