Fish found dead in Sanjay Lake: Treated water supply resumes

The official said the repair work was taken up immediately after the issue was flagged. However, officials involved in ground-level operations said the disruption in water supply was not recent and had persisted for nearly six months. The delay in restoring water supply was partly owing to field staff unable to locate the precise fault in the pipeline network, officials added.

The restoration of water supply comes against the backdrop of hundreds of dead fish found floating in shallow pools at Sanjay Lake on Thursday, when large stretches of the lake bed had dried up.

Officials had earlier attributed the crisis partly to the pipeline remaining under repair and partly to the ongoing heatwave, which can reduce dissolved oxygen levels in stagnant water . The carcasses included small Gambusia, or mosquitofish, along with larger tilapia- or carp-like freshwater species.

The artificial lake spread across nearly 187 acres, includes a 52.53-acre lake area, which is maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

When asked about why the disruption in water supply had persisted, a DJB official alleged that DDA did not take adequate contingency measures while the pipeline remained under repair. He said the lake-maintaining agency could have used tankers, borewells or available stormwater channels to maintain water levels. “DDA could have done more. They were not bothered to raise the lake level. Tankers could have been used as an interim measure,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the DDA has in an official response to The Indian Express said that desilting of the lake had been undertaken, adding that the department carried out works to connect flooding points and channelise stormwater into the lake.

Multiple inlet points along the lake’s peripheral boundary walls were identified to divert rainwater from waterlogged roads into the lake area, the DDA said. According to DDA, a network of pipes and channels developed for stormwater conveyance had shown “positive results” during the monsoon.

DDA also said that, following directions from the Lieutenant Governor’s (LG) office, a connection was developed from the flooding-prone road stretch between Mother Dairy and the main gate of Sanjay Lake towards the park area, helping reduce flooding on the road while diverting rainwater into the lake.

Four rainwater harvesting systems were installed in the area, including three near inlet points and one at another flooding location, DDA officials said.