NEWS

The Delhi airport extracts 5,000 kilolitres of water per day (KLD) from the ground though it does not have Central Ground Water Authority’s permission to draw this amount, pollution control panel officials said.In further violation, they said the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) dumps all 5,000 KLD in sewer channels after use — as per Delhi Jal Board norms and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) directives, the airport operator is supposed to treat the wastewater and reuse it.The DPCC had instructed DIAL in a meeting held on January 28 to treat wastewater and then use it in bathrooms, horticulture, and in cooling towers. The airport operator was also instructed to obtain groundwater withdrawal permission. DIAL, though, is yet to comply, members of the Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC) said.DIAL spokesperson Arun Arora said: “We are dependant on groundwater since the airport does not get any municipal water supply. We have permission for some borewells. We are seeking permission for the rest.”AEMC chairperson J K Dadoo said: “DIAL has been warned that it has to treat all its water and then reuse it. This will significantly reduce dependence on fresh water. Permission is also required for groundwater withdrawal.”Experts said when all wings of the airport are fully operational, the projected water use will shoot up significantly: at least 10,000 KLD groundwater, and another 3,000 KLD expected from municipal supply as per DIAL’s own estimates.