The Delhi government allocated Rs 6,342 crore for water supply?and sanitation in its Budget for the financial year 2023-24, which is around 16 per cent less than the Rs 7,610 crore earmarked last year.
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Presenting the Budget in the assembly on Wednesday,?Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot said water availability in the national capital will be increased from 995 million gallons a day (MGD) to 1,240 MGD by March 2025.?
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He said 1,000 reverse osmosis plants will be set up in Juggi-Jhopri (JJ) clusters, unauthorised colonies, and water deficit areas in 2023-24.
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Targeting to clean the Yamuna to bathing standards by 2025, the government also aims to increase the sewage treatment capacity by 258 MGD in the next financial year.?
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"As a result, the total sewage treatment capacity of the Delhi Jal Board will be increased from 632 MGD to 890 MGD by the end of March 2024 - a huge 41 per cent rise in capacity in a single year," he said.
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"The Yamuna is the lifeline of Delhi. It holds a deep significance in our culture and religious beliefs. Therefore, any vision to develop Delhi into a 'clean, beautiful and modern city' must put the cleaning and rejuvenation of Yamuna at the forefront," the minister said.
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The 22-kilometre stretch of the river between Wazirabad and Okhla in Delhi, which is less than two per cent of the river length, accounts for around 75 per cent of its pollution load.
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Untapped wastewater from unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters, and poor quality treated wastewater discharged from STPs and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) is the main reason behind high levels of pollution in the river.
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The river can be considered fit for bathing if biological oxygen demand is less than three milligrams per litre and dissolved oxygen is greater than five milligrams per litre.
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Gahlot said water pipelines have been laid in 93 per cent of the unauthorised?colonies in Delhi and more than 3,000 water flow meters have been installed to ensure a smooth water supply.
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The government aims to make Delhi a 'City of Lakes'. The revival of 20 big lakes will be completed in a few months.?
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Gahlot also told the assembly?that 19 lakh consumers availed the benefit of free 20,000 litres of water per month last year.