As Yamuna starts receding, Delhi govt to restart Okhla water treatment plant

DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday that the Okhla water treatment plant is being restarted as the water levels in the Yamuna here are receding.

The government had announced the closure of three water treatment plants -- Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla -- due to the rising water levels in the Yamuna following days of heavy rains in Delhi and the upper catchment areas.

Due to the closure of the plants, many areas in the national capital were facing a water shortage.

''With receding water levels, we are starting Okhla water treatment (plant). (I) Am reaching there to take stock,'' Kejriwal tweeted.

He is also expected to visit the Wazirabad water treatment plant.

After breaching a 45-year record three days ago, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.25 metres at 3 pm on Friday even as several key areas in the city were inundated.

According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the water level stood at 208.57 metres in the early hours of Friday and fell marginally to 208.48 metres at 5 am.

The water level in the Yamuna was 208.42 metres at 8 am, 208.38 metres at 10 am and 208.35 metres at 11 am. It went down further to 208.27 metres at 1 pm and 208.25 metres at 3 pm.

The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978.