DDA destroyed lake revived by citizens (Times of India 22 May 2013)

NEW DELHI: For a parched area like Dwarka, this was a success story like no other. An over-200-year-old water body was painstakingly revived in a community effort in 2012. The water body located in Sector 23, till then filled with sewage or dry for most part of the year, suddenly came to life.

This year, however, it looks like it may return to its former state. Residents have written to the lieutenant governor, complaining that DDA has taken over the maintenance of the water body and have ruined their effort.

Diwan Singh from Natural Heritage First, who assisted the residents in the revival project, says that they approached DDA to desilt the water body this year since locals could not afford to undertake the work annually.

"Just when everything seemed to be going well, the residents have been shocked to see that DDA has gone ahead with destroying it now. It has used JCB machines to put the silt back into the water body, closed down the rainwater carrying channels, reduced the size of water body and are building artificial footpaths around it," says the letter sent to the LG.

Residents met the CEO of Delhi Parks and Garden Society, who is the nodal officer for water bodies, to complain about the issue but are yet to hear about from him. Last week, they also met the DDA chief engineer in charge of the area but he "refused to do any desilting or preserve the surrounding area. At least 100 residents have signed the request letter to him. We have met him three times and sent several written communications to him", Singh said.

The DDA chief engineer didn't comment on the issue.

Residents of villages near the water body and those living in Dwarka's highrises came together in 2012 to revive this water body. Sources say that till 1984, when DDA acquired land in the area, the water in the pond was crystal clear. After ownership went to DDA, its condition deteriorated rapidly due to flow of sewage into it and shrinking of its area.

"Last year residents pooled money and labour and carried out desilting of the water body, created rainwater carrying channels, linked the stormwater drain to the water body and looked after the area around it to prevent encroachments. Our efforts bore fruit as for the first time in several years it had water till February-end. Usually, it would dry up around the end of October. Birdlife had also improved around it with a peahen observed nesting near it and hatching four chicks. A pair of owls has been seen on the peepal tree on its banks. A birdwatcher has captured images of 40 species of birds around the water body. Monitor lizards and hare have also been seen there," Singh said.