Sustained action against illegal borewells by authorities has brought good news as the water table in the city’s heritage corridors has started going up. The water table in South Delhi’s Shamsi pond and three other stepwells — Gandak, Rajaon and Qutab — have registered an increase. These water bodies are now being revived though once declared moribund. The illegal borewells functioning in this particular area have been closed down.
A study has found that the borewells were playing havoc with the heritage areas of the city as the water table was going down alarmingly. Not just the heritage belt, water table across the city has been hit hard by illegal boring with the active connivance of Delhi Police and the civic agencies. While replying to a notice of the Delhi High Court, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has said that that there were as many as 4.63 lakh illegal borewells in the city and the same were sucking the underground water. The DJB reportedly sealed as many as 40 borewells in South Delhi alone. It has also identified 50 more illegal borewells for sealing purposes. Delhi Government’s Revenue Department has also sought details regarding borewells in all the 11 districts.
In its report, the Central Ground Water Authority has said that Delhi’s ground water table was the lowest of all the metros in the world. In 1977, the ground water table of South Delhi was reportedly 20 feet deep. “Now it is 267 feet deep. The height of Qutab Minar is 238 feet,” a senior official said.
The borewells are generally 60 feet to 400 feet deep. And the stepwells are about 100 feet deep. The city has about 650 dead water bodies. There are an equal number of water bodies in a bad state. The administration had told the Delhi High Court a year ago that it was not feasible to revive dead water bodies.
A report by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) reveals that of the 527 water bodies monitored between 2008 and 2012, 304 were found to be dry. While 111 water bodies met the required norms, there were 103 others which did not meet the requisite norms at all. “Of the 182 water bodies monitored in 2008-09, 104 were found dry. The number of dry water bodies went up to 131 in 2009-2010,” a senior official told this newspaper.
It was first the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which completed the major renovation work at the Shamsi Talab (water body) in Mehrauli. Over the years, unscrupulous residents had been dumping garbage into the pond. Dumping had led to ugly growth of vegetation. The ASI has cleared 30,000 square metres of vegetation.
Built by Sultan Shams-ud-din Iltutmish in 1230 AD, the pond was originally lined with red sandstone. “Despite less rains, the pond is on the revival mode,” a senior official said. Ditto is the case with Rajaon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli Park. Created through an impressive feat of engineering wherein the dreaded loo (hot winds) was converted to cool air through intricate cooling systems, the magnificent stepwell is believed to have been built by Daulat Khan during the reign of Sikandar lodi in 1516.
like Rajaon Ki Baoli, the other stepwells — 800-year-old Bandar and Qutab — are also reviving on their own. The main reason for their revival is the sealing of the illegal borewells in the area.
The Baoli’s or stepwells are simple yet indigenous systems of building wells below the ground level, with a series of steps for people to walk down or fetch water. A stepwell consists of two parts - a vertical shaft from which water is drawn and the surrounding inclined subterranean passageways, chambers and steps which provide access to the well.