HC seeks clear answers on optimal use of groundwater reserves

The Delhi high court has directed the Delhi Jal Board to give a “definitive” plan on how it intends to utilise the huge reserve of 63000 cubic metres of <g data-gr-id="20">groundwater</g> discovered in a residential colony in South Delhi.

A Bench of justices Badar <g data-gr-id="14">Durrez</g> Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva directed Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to file a “definitive report” after the civic body’s senior officials, present in the court, could not give a clear reply on how the water would be utilised.

The DJB officials — an executive engineer and a junior engineer, told the court that the water was not fit for human consumption in its current state as it had a high concentration of e.coli bacteria. They said that the water cannot also be used for watering parks, or for horticulture. The officials said that they will instead mix it with filtered water to bring its parameters within limits prescribed for drinking and then will supply it to households.