"Delhi will become a city of Lakes", proclaims Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Here's his plan

Delhi will become a city of lakes, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had declared, following the Delhi Jal Board approving Rs 376 crore for rejuvenating 159 lakes all over the national capital.

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal, who has come under significant criticism owing to the prevailing air pollution levels in New Delhi, has talked about the Delhi lake plan having a holistically positive effect on the environment. Among these, he listed reduction of pollution, recharging of groundwater and the overall effect of beautifying the city. From a tourism standpoint, he said that all the lakes would be developed into tourist places with beautiful landscapes.

The following is an account of the Delhi Jal Board's decisions, as tweeted by Kejriwal:

• Approval of Rs 376 crore for rejuvenation of 159 lakes all over Delhi
• The approval of Rs 77 crore for the creation of two mega lakes in Rohini and Nilothi.

The approval is apparently in line with the Delhi CM's vision to rejuvenate 200 lakes all over Delhi.

While Delhi's air has been dangerous since the onset of winter (as a result of the cold air making the particulate matter settle at ground level, among other factors) it reached a dangerous peak on Sunday, as a result of which the Task Force on Graded Response Action Plan has made certain emergency recommendations:

• Industries in hotspot Industrial arias to remain closed till December 26
• Construction activities in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida till December 26
• Traffic flow to be kept smooth along key corridors, and other traffic management decisions
• Strict action ordered against illegal industries.

High air pollution in New Delhi has become a yearly occurrence, despite large-scale efforts seemingly being made to counter the problem. Over the years, the Delhi suburban transport system has been completely overhauled, starting with autos and buses being ported to CNG, the construction of the vast Delhi Metro network, construction of ring roads and regulation of old vehicles and trucks, and emergency experiments such as the Odd-Even rule for private citizens. However, as per experts, the steady growth in automobiles, the burgeoning construction in an ever-expanding NCR, the atmospheric constraints in the Delhi region, the prevalence of polluting industries, and especially, crop stubble burning from neighbouring states, has ensured that the pollution has remained a step ahead.