Mayapuri Lake, below the Naraina-Mayapuri flyover used to be full during the rainy season. In rural areas, these work as sewage dumps. However, government efforts remain mere on-paper exercises
An area around the Shahdara lake, which has been turned into a garbage dump over the years, in East Delhi. Although some water bodies have dried up, in many places, parks have come up. Others have been converted into dumping sites
Prasad Nagar Lake Park also known as Jheel Park is located in Patel Nagar of West Delhi. In July, the Delhi Jal Board had announced reclamation of around 100 such water bodies. Nothing substantial, however, has happened ever since
Rajon ki Baoli. With heavy pollution, construction in catchment areas and encroachment, most of the water bodies that were part of Delhiites’ lives till the 1990s are now history
Sanjay Lake is an artificial lake developed by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) at Trilokpuri in East Delhi, adjoining Mayur Vihar II residential area. These water bodies, if reclaimed, could have helped against declining groundwater reserves and recharge aquifer and sustain tube wells operation in nearby areas
Sewer carrying chemical waste from Tughlaqabad Village Lake in New Delhi. In June 2016, the National Green Tribunal also directed the Delhi government to clean and restore all the natural water bodies
Shamshi lake facing residential buildings in Mehraulli
The well at Rajon ki Baoli which has now turned into a trash can. In March 2003, concerned over the depleting groundwater level in the Capital, the high court had directed the Centre, the Delhi government, the MCD and the DDA to remove all encroachments in and around the lakes, ponds and reservoirs here and maintain them as water bodies
Under the orders of the Delhi High Court, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is in the process of restoring Neela Hauz, a large pond in south Delhi. By March 2013, it is scheduled to complete the work that involves removing weed and hyacinth infestation, dredging, planting local trees and shrubs and constructing walking tracks. The pond will be merged with the neighbouring Sanjay Van, a protected forest under DDA in the Southern Ridge
A boy dives inside the Roncador river, ahead of World Water Day, in Bahia, Brazil
A boy jumps from a boat at the Bancarios beach, ahead of World Water Day, in the Guanabara bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A devotee wearing a helmet carries flowers and other worship material before throwing them in the river Brahmaputra on the eve of World Water Day in Gauhati
A fisherman carries a box of fishes at the Bancarios beach, ahead of World Water Day, in the Guanabara bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A man collects coconuts thrown as offerings by worshippers on the weed covered Sabarmati river, ahead of World Water Day, in Ahmedabad
A man fishes along a river bank in Jakarta on March 21, 2017, on the eve of World Water Day. International World Water Day is marked annually on March 22 to focus global attention on the importance of water