PUCL Bulletin,
June 2003
Copy of letter to the Chief Minister of Delhi
Bhageedar
in the efforts to save Delhi' water table
-- By Mahant Tiwari, Convenor, Rashtriya Jal Biraadari, Delhi
Madam,
Water problem is becoming more accused day by day in Delhi. We accept
that the government will look for solutions to this problem through constructive
development for the benefit for the people of Delhi. The citizenry should
get water for its needs and at the same time over-exploitation and wastage
of water should stop. We should aim to conserve and recharge our water
resources otherwise the coming generations will have to suffer.
Village Chandrawal in north Delhi was the seat of power in the old times.
This village had 18 wells, 5 ponds in the beginning of the 19th century.
In the year 1903 the British acquired 187 acres from the Gurjar farmers
of the area and Metcalf residence was constructed. During the first War
of independence of 1857 the local residents, in order to avenge their
disposition, burnt down the Metcalf residence.
Chandrawal can be called the first village to be disposed. During the
British period this area underwent many changes. The rain water of the
area flowed through large number of grazing lands, water bodies, groves
went into Yamuna. Water flowing through the natural plantations was more
or less filtered. With the passage of time the ever-increasing garbage,
construction material filled the filtering, ponds, and plantations. The
rain water today takes with it the modern filth of polythene, etc., in
to the river.
River Yamuna originates in Uttaranchal. Flowing through Himachal and Punjab
it passes through north Delhi and meets the Ganga at Allahabad. Delhi
region had a number of villages covered with greenery. Chandrawal, Dhaka,
Timarpur, Nagloi, Chhoti Nagloi, etc., have now almost disappeared. The
walled city was established by the Mughals. Here also there were groves,
canals, wells, and ponds. All these were means of water
conservation.
Bazar Sitaram, Koochaa Ghazi Ram, Bulbuli Khaana, Matkaa Mahal, all
had wells known for their water. Even today there is a well in front of
the old Delhi railway station which is a source of water in that area.
There is a Gullee Garhaiyyaa near the Jama Masjid. This area was inhabited
by people concerned with water distribution. The Red Fort had its own
Naher-e-Bahisht. Sharja Khan got a water body built in the centre of the
market area which looked very beautiful at night because of the lights
around it. This Sarowar for Jahanaara came to be known as Chandini Chowk.
Water from this Sarowar was supplied to the groves around the area. The
prominent among which were Roshanara Bagh, Gulabi Bagh, Tis Hazari Bagh,
Kudasiya Bagh, etc. The British blocked all these water bodies and chopped
1000 trees of the Tis Hazari Bagh. Jahanaara and built a Sarai with two
wells. The British renamed it as Company Bagh. Today it is known as Gandhi
Ground.
Shiabuddin Khan is known to have carried out repairs on the old canals
which went up to Jorbagh and Karol Bagh. Another canal was dug from the
Yamuna which replenished the water of wells in old Delhi and raised the
water level.
The end of the Mughal rule also spelt the end of the system of canals,
wells, lakes, and ponds of different sizes. All the rural habitation in
the areas of Sadar Bazar, Pul Bangash, Sabzi Mandi, Kamla Nagar, Delhi
University, Kingsway, Azadpur, disappeared slowly. The water of Yamuna
quenched the thirst of the people, fields and farms, groves and gardens,
animals and birds and flowed back in to the womb of mother earth. The
usage pattern of water today is different and wasteful. In the short span
of 50 years river Yamuna has been converted into a filthy drain.
We want to be a Bhageedar in the efforts to save Delhi in real
sense. We want to commit the Chief Minister to a policy of environmental
equilibrium to save and replenish the water table of Delhi.