Two lakes in Burari to be developed

Delhi: In a bid to help clean the Yamuna and also to give a fillip to the recreational aspects of water bodies in Delhi, the Delhi Government is working on the rejuvenation and development of two water bodies in Burari area, located in the Northern part of Delhi. The Government has revived the two lakes of the region and will develop them with state of the art infrastructure. Water Minister Satyendar Jain inspected the water bodies at Burari on May 11, 2022, and directed the officials to develop them as tourist spots and also help improve the overall ecological conditions of the area.

The rejuvenation of the lake at Burari is aimed at increasing the overall aesthetics of the area and the water bodies will act as a recreational spot for the residents. People will be able to connect closely to the environment as well, and the lake will help recharge the underground water table. The water bodies will also serve as a sink for carbon storage and provide important habitat for plants. It will restore ecological balance and bring back bird activities and help moderate the temperature during summer peaks and provide much-needed relief to the life around.

Satyendar Jain said that the lake located at Satya Vihar of Burari is one of the 23 lakes to be revived in the capital.

Burari has significant ecological importance as it is located in the vicinity of the Yamuna which is the biggest biodiversity in Delhi in terms of area. The two water bodies, namely Satya Vihar and Lakshmi Vihar extension colony near the SDM office, have been revived using natural methods that make use of natural cost-effective technologies. Constructed Wetland based treatment is being used in these lakes to curb the existing issues. It is an indigenous and self-sustaining method for wastewater treatment. Another key feature of this wetland-based system is that it helps treat raw sewage.

250 water bodies and 23 lakes are being revived by the Delhi Government in the first phase as a part of its massive endeavour to transform Delhi into a city of lakes. Water Delhi Jal Board Chairman  Satyendar Jain says, "The local water bodies are moderators of the local climate, public relief, and recreation. The in-situ treatment techniques will help clean water in a cost-effective manner. Cleaning will not just remove pollution from the water bodies naturally but also amplify plant life in the water bodies and through them, the animal and birdlife." He further directed the officials to ensure proper safety standards around the lake premises and keep a check on other avenues of improvement.

New lake in Satya  Vihar, Burari

Satyendar Jain says, “The area of this water body is 13,371 square meters. Earlier the local people were using this waterbody as a solid waste dumping site. And the polluted water from the surrounding drains was falling into the lake. Now, the Delhi Government is determined to improve the quality of Delhi’s water bodies using the constructed wetland system,” the minister said.

Previously, the lake which spans an area of 13,371 square meters was in a bad shape due to heavy loads of pollution. It had no vegetation and the locals used it as a solid waste dumping site and the run-off water often entered the area from an adjacent drain as well. This eventually resulted in the deterioration of water quality in the area.

Features of the constructed wetland based Treatment plant

This treatment system uses specific plants that absorb nutrients directly from the sewage or polluted water but do not require soil. These plants act as nutrient sinkers and removers. The raw sewage is first transferred into a settling tank from where it flows into a wetland bed. The plants present in the wetland then absorb the nutrient-rich pollutants present in sewage, leaving treated water behind. The treated water is then collected in a tanker and eventually flown into the lake.

Using this method for the treatment of sewage helps recover and reuse the treated water for gardening purposes. It is a zero energy and zero operation and maintenance sewage treatment technology.

Burari lake in Lakshmi Vihar rejuvenated

The Burari lake which is located in Lakshmi vihar, extension colony is spread over an area of 6500 square meters and the Delhi Government is treating it with the novel ‘Floating Rafter’ water pollution treatment technology.

Earlier, the sewage of the locality passed through this water body making it an unpleasant spot and an overall nuisance for those living nearby. A pump was initially installed to pump the sewage into the nearby drain but the DJB completely stopped the sewage entry into this lake by stacking gunny bags which will help rejuvenate it.

About Floating Rafter Technology

This is an effective, low-cost, and sustainable method to remove acute toxicity from the environment. This technology employs natural plants to treat the pollutants in the water. These plants are held by the floating rafters and work to extract excess pollutants from the wastewater. The plant roots spread and extend deep down into the water below to absorb nutrients from the sewage and treat it by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus from the sewage and making it suitable for seepage into the ground. A grid-based aeration system is also placed to enable bubble diffusion to boost the levels of dissolved oxygen in the water and catalyze the water purification process.