New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has initiated the first phase of its conservation drive for Bhalswa Lake, situated in north-west Delhi near the overfilled Bhalswa landfill and the Bhalswa Dairy colony. Once a horseshoe‑shaped freshwater lake nearly as expansive as Nainital Lake, today it spans roughly 112 acres and faces severe ecological degradation.
What’s Underway:
- A tender was issued on August 1, 2025, valued at ₹2.54 lakh. The scope: soil investigation and structural design of an RCC wall to demarcate and shield the lake from adjacent landfill zones. The work is expected to be completed in 60 days.
- The wall is intended to prevent dumping of dairy waste, household sewage, plastics, and industrial effluents, which have turned parts of the lake into a toxic sludge area, especially on the western side
Also Read: National Mission for Clean Ganga Approves Yamuna Floodplain Wetlands Conservation Plan
Context & Background:
- Bhalswa Lake originated from an oxbow of the Yamuna but has over time lost one half to encroachment and the landfill, while a housing colony extends over what was once its eastern section.
- In 2021, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandated remedial action to curb further degradation. Since 2022, Delhi’s Lt Governor V.K. Saxena and state officials launched a bamboo plantation and green zone development drive on reclaimed landfill areas, with plans to plant 54,000 more trees in the coming months. Clean-up efforts by Delhi Jal Board were also part of the “City of Lakes” initiative at that time.
Also Read: Delhi’s Yamuna Rejuvenation Plan: Riverfront Vision or Ecological Gamble?