Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal met Delhi Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu at Lok Niwas on Thursday, 11 June to discuss issues pertaining to the national capital, according to an official statement. The meeting was brief, with no detailed agenda made public beyond broad discussions on Delhi-related matters.

The Meeting at Lok Niwas

Meghwal, who holds independent charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice and also serves as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, called on the L-G at his official residence. The Lok Niwas official handle confirmed the meeting in a post on X, noting that Sandhu received the Union minister at the official residence.

L-G Pushes Rainwater Harvesting Ahead of Monsoon

Separately, L-G Sandhu chaired a preparedness review meeting with senior officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to assess the capital's rainwater harvesting infrastructure. In a post on X, Sandhu said, Reviewed the status of rainwater harvesting preparedness across the capital in a meeting today with senior officials of DDA, MCD, and NDMC.

He added that clear directions, along with strict timelines, were issued to expedite structural repairs and ensure that all rainwater harvesting systems are made fully operational well ahead of the monsoon season. Officials were also directed to comprehensively assess the total installed capacity of all rainwater harvesting structures across Delhi, with the objective of establishing a baseline for future groundwater recharge and long-term water conservation planning.

Delhi Government's School-Level Initiative

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that the government has decided to revive and operationalise existing rainwater harvesting systems in 75 CM Shri Schools across the capital. The initiative is expected to generate an annual rainwater harvesting capacity of nearly 50 crore litres.

The government will adopt the 'Ehsaas' model for this purpose — a framework approved by the Delhi Jal Board in 2021, recognised for its low cost, minimal space requirement, and near-zero maintenance profile. This comes amid Delhi's recurring water stress during the pre-monsoon and monsoon transition periods, making harvesting infrastructure a recurring priority for successive administrations.

Broader Context

The L-G's directive to civic agencies to expedite piping, gutter, and storage tank repairs — with special focus on rainwater harvesting structures in government schools and buildings — signals an effort to coordinate across multiple municipal bodies before the monsoon arrives. Notably, Delhi's fragmented civic administration across DDA, MCD, and NDMC has historically complicated unified infrastructure drives. The convergence of a ministerial visit and a parallel water-preparedness push underscores the administrative activity surrounding the capital's governance framework ahead of the monsoon season.