New Delhi Nov 23 PTI The Delhi governments pilot project to recharge groundwater at Palla has recorded the highest rise of up to 25 metres in the groundwater level in its third and final year on the back of a record-breaking rainfall this monsoon officials said on TuesdayThe groundwater level in the area -- on the northern outskirts of the capital near the Delhi-Haryana border -- had risen up to 13 metres in 2019 and up to 2 metres in 2020 the officer saidThe three-year pilot project which involved retaining excess Yamuna water in shallow reservoirs on the floodplains during the monsoon season has been completed Overall it has yielded very good results an official told PTIThe Palla pilot project is a part of the Delhi governments endeavour to augment the citys water supplyWe have recorded an increase of 05 to 25 metres in groundwater levels this year the highest in the entire project period Certainly the record rainfall has a major role to play the official saidThe project report will be submitted within a week to a committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal the Centre and the Delhi government Senior scientists will analyze the resultsAccording to the official the project will be scaled up based on the recommendations of all stakeholders including the Central Water Commission Upper Yamuna River Board Central Ground Water Board Delhi Pollution Control Committee Central Pollution Control BoardAfter getting approval from the National Green Tribunal the Delhi government started the project in August 2019 on 40 acres of land along the Yamuna floodplains near PallaWhile gram sabhas owned 10 acres of this land the government had acquired 30 acres from farmers on a three-year leaseThe government then created a 25-acre pond on the floodplains of the Yamuna to retain floodwater in the monsoon season and installed 33 piezometers to ascertain the rise in groundwater levels PTI GVS NSD NSD