Raghav Chadha bats for water conservation, green mobility

By Siddhi Jain New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANSlife) Youth icon and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Raghav Chadha, believes that although water is a challenging sector for the national capital — given the high water consumption rate of Delhiites compared to the national average — green initiatives like rain water harvesting, restoration of lakes, and cleaning of Yamuna along with water audit protocols and checking theft, can ensure a healthy, clean supply of water to the residents.
Chadha, who was appointed the Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) this year, told IANSlife that water consumption per person in Delhi is one of the highest in the world. At 250 LPCD per person, it stands significantly higher than the national average of 135 LPCD, owing to the metropolis being in a tropical region with peak summer demand for water.
With the right kind of policy and technical intervention the consumption can be reduced to the national average of 135 LPCD, shared the politician. “We have sufficient water, it’s all about management is what I have experienced and learnt. I am bullish on initiatives like water audit; flow meter installation in the entire network to check leakage and theft; and rationalisation of water distribution,” he shared over the phone.
“Water is a very challenging sector especially in the capital, firstly, because Delhi does not have its own river and we have to share water from all our neighbouring states and secondly, because of the increasing demand leading to increased consumption. Even after all these hurdles, Delhi Jal Board fulfills its responsibility of proper management of water supply in the entire Delhi with the available limited resources. Under the able guidance of CM Kejriwal, we (DJB) have been able to lay water lines in almost 93 per cent of the capital and soon it will be 100 percent,” said Chadha.
Has the water consumption patterns of capital residents changed during the lockdown months? Noting the increased habit of hand-washing, Chadha says that Delhi’s high consumption and summer demand coupled with hygiene practices accelerated the demand, but DJB was able to manage the heightened demand for water, thanks to industrial units and leisure spaces being shut due to COVID-19.
“I firmly believe Yamuna can be cleaned and we can restore the dignity of Yamuna. The floodplains of Yamuna should be looked at from a biodiversity and ecological standpoint, and not as wasteland. It is a natural resource which hasn’t received its due.