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The Delhi High Court has begun renewed efforts to conserve rainwater in the city, with monsoons likely to arrive soon.

The court took suo motu cognisance of the matter, on the basis of a Times of India report highlighting the lack of initiative by agencies towards ensuring that every housing society and residents store rainwater by installing harvesting units.

A division bench of Justices Jasmeet Singh and Dinesh Kumar Sharma demanded details from various civic authorities, the Centre and the Government of Delhi, while observing that "we have come across this article in the Times of India dated 18.06.2022 which talks about lack of rain water harvesting in Delhi. The article seems to be suggesting that monsoon rainwater is not harvested properly within the city of Delhi"

Accordingly, court has initiated a PIL on the issue. 

The bench also highlighted that the inadequate rainwater management has a direct link with traffic snarls as water often floods key roads making navigation difficult. 

Notice has been issued to all stakeholders involved in the management of rainwater, including the Delhi government, the Centre's Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Road Transport, Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, Flood and Irrigation Department, Delhi Jal Board, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board and Delhi Police 

All the agencies have been given a week to file a status report indicating the steps taken by them to store and harvest rain water.

The bench also sought details of steps undertaken to "address and ease traffic jams/snarls in Delhi during monsoons and other periods"

Matter has been posted for further hearing on July 4 before the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.