‘Appeal On Humanitarian Grounds’: Delhi Govt Urges Haryana To Release More Water Amid Alarming Crisis – News18

Delhi Water Minister Atishi said on Saturday that the AAP government again urged the state of Haryana to release additional water on humanitarian grounds amid the increasing water crisis in the national capital during the prevailing heatwave conditions.

Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said that water production in Delhi has fallen by 70 million gallons per day (MGD). She mentioned that all seven water treatment plants, fed by the Munak canal, are producing less water. “Delhi has made a humanitarian appeal to Haryana, urging the state to release some additional water for Delhi. Delhi government officers have also talked to Haryana Government officers, and in all probability, a delegation of senior officers of Delhi will travel to Chandigarh and meet Haryana officers,” she said.

Atishi stressed that Himachal Pradesh has reaffirmed its readiness to supply water to Delhi amid the crisis. She said that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu assured full support in addressing Delhi’s water needs. This comes as AAP MLAs have written a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil urging his intervention to solve the water crisis faced by the national capital.

Calling the situation “very critical”, AAP’s chief whip in the Delhi Assembly Dilip Pandey on Saturday said the Yamuna water issue was an inter-state issue that required coordination of the Jal Shakti Ministry. Pandey said that in the letter from the AAP MLAs, time has been sought to meet the minister for a discussion on the matter.

The AAP leader also said that instead of indulging in politics, all parties should work for a solution to resolve the water crisis and provide respite to the people of Delhi. “The entire matter is related to intervene state coordination and without Centre’s intervention no solution will come out,” Pandey told a press conference.

The ruling AAP has accused the BJP-ruled Haryana of stopping Delhi’s share of Yamuna Water. Delhi’s Water Minister Atishi has claimed that water production in the city has gone down because of the adequate availability of raw water from Yamuna. Pandey too accused the BJP government of indulging in politics over the issue. He said that illegal sand mining in the river in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh was obstructing flow of water through tiny dams.

Amid a water crisis in the national capital, the Delhi Congress held ‘matka phod’ protests across the city on Saturday with its members smashing earthen pots to the ground. The protests began around 10 am in all 280 blocks in Delhi. Carrying earthen pots on their heads and Congress flags, the protesters raised slogans against the Delhi government and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Later, they threw the pots on the ground. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, who also joined the protests, demanded a special session of the assembly to discuss the issue. He had alleged on Friday that the Delhi government had not taken effective steps to address the water shortage in the city due to which, people had to run after water tankers.

(With agency inputs)