NEW DELHI: Delhi government is considering to offer approximately Rs 50,000 per acre to farmers on Yamuna floodplain for the water harvesting project announced by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
A five-member committee, constituted to reach a consensus with the farmers on the compensation amount, is yet to take the final call on the amount to be given.
According to a high ranking official the committee which comprises officers from Irrigation and Flood department along with the revenue and finance departments will submit their report on Monday.
Most of the floodplain land belongs to farmers along the river, so the government plans to rent it from them.
Delhi government after conducting a detailed study said that for one monsoon season an estimated 2,500 million cubic metres of water will be collected after 15 cycles of precipitation.
The Delhi segment of the river starts from Okhla barrage up to Wazirabad barrage, over a distance of 22 km.
Currently, the AAP government plans to start the pilot project before monsoon hits the 1,000-acre floodplains.
According to the government, water will be conserved in stretches from Palla in North West Delhi to Wazirabad in North Delhi in an eco-friendly way with construction material like cement not being used.
The government has also hired a project consultant for this initiative.
“Yamuna has a vast floodplain and has a big potential for water conservation and through this project we can solve the water shortage of Delhi,” Kejriwal had said while announcing the project.
According to the project, when the Yamuna overflows during monsoon, its water will fill small ponds that will be constructed nearby.
This water will then percolate and revive the ground water table of the national capital.