The Delhi government on Friday said it will provide free household sewer connections to ensure that no untreated sewage flows into stormwater drains.
Untreated sewage is one of the main reasons behind the high pollution level in the Yamuna in Delhi. Industrial pollution makes up for 10-20 percent of its pollution load.
The Delhi Jal Board has also decided to provide treated waste water to government agencies free of cost. Earlier, they would purchase it from sewage treatment plants at Rs 7 per liter.
These decisions were taken at a meeting of the Delhi Jal Board chaired by Water Minister Satyendar Jain.
The water utility said the decision to provide free sewer connections will improve capacity utilization of STPs.
"It will improve hygiene and sanitation in such colonies and directly impact the water quality of the Yamuna," the DJB said in a statement.
"To promote utilisation of this treated water and to conserve precious potable and groundwater, the DJB has decided to waive the charges on treated water," the statement said.
At present, the STPs in Delhi treat 500 million gallons of wastewater per day, of which only 90 MGD is reused for various purposes.
The DJB also approved a plan to rejuvenate 24 more water bodies in the national capital.
This is besides 36 other water bodies for which contracts have already been awarded to start work on the ground.
"This will not only reduce load on the local sewerage network but also ensure ground water recharge happens throughout the year. Currently these water bodies are either dry or contaminated with sewage creating health hazardous conditions for local residents along with causing ground contamination," the DJB said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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