In an effort to reduce water loss and generate renewable energy, the Delhi government is planning to repair a 17-km section of Munak canal and cover it with solar panels, water minister Parvesh Verma said on Sunday.
The Munak canal has two main branches -- the Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB) and the Carrier Lined Channel (CLC) -- that are suffering from significant leakage and inefficiency.
In a first-of-its-kind move, the DSB, a raw water stream starting from Haryana and merging with the Munak canal, will be covered with solar panels. A feasibility study is being carried out by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Water Minister Verma inspected the Munak canal last week and reviewed conditions on-site along with senior officials.
"The Munak canal is a lifeline for Delhi's water supply. But in its current form, it is also a major source of water loss, pollution and risk. Our plan to cover it with solar panels will help us save water, produce clean power and make the canal safer and more secure for the people of Delhi," Verma said.
"In the DSB, nearly 30 per cent of the water is lost due to seepage and evaporation. Beyond water loss, the Munak canal also faces persistent issues of garbage dumping and accidental drownings.
"Open and unguarded stretches of the canal pose a danger to both residents and passersby," a government statement said.
The concept is inspired by a similar successful project in Gujarat, where solar panels have been installed over canal systems to efficiently utilise space, prevent evaporation and generate clean power, the minister said.
The Munak Canal system, which includes the CLC and the DSB, is 102 km long, out of which about 85 km lies in Haryana and approximately 17 km is within Delhi.
