Haryana CM promises help on water; Delhi not convinced
NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Tuesday said he discussed the water situation in the Capital with Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, who assured all help to the city despite his own state’s constraints with regard to water stress due to the peak summer period.
The Delhi government, however, alleged that an affidavit filed by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court shows that the water supply to the city was reduced.
The development came even as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Tuesday stated that the city was supplied 958.26 million gallons per day (mgd) of water — the season’s lowest so far — against the targeted supply levels of 1,000 mgd.
According to DJB officials, a shortfall of 1 mgd affects an estimated 21,500 people in the city. On Tuesday, several localities in the Capital experienced zero or low water supply, including Kirari, Sadar Bazar, Baljeet Nagar, and Vasant Kunj.
Saxena said that in his conversation with Saini, the Haryana CM maintained that his state is providing water to Delhi as per its allocated share.
“He reiterated that water was being provided to Delhi as per allocated share and assured of all possible help, despite the state’s own constraints due to the ongoing heat wave,” the LG posted on X after speaking to Saini.
The Delhi government over the last week has alleged a dip in the raw water supply to the city via two sources in Haryana — the Yamuna water channel and the Munak Canal. On Tuesday, the water level of the Yamuna at the Wazirabad pondage area had dropped to 669.4 ft, against the normal levels of 674.5 ft. This dip in water level, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged, has resulted in Delhi receiving around 200 cusecs of water less than its allotted share of 1,050 cusecs.
One cusec is equal to around 1.5 mgd. On Tuesday, water minister Atishi reiterated the claim, alleging that an affidavit filed by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court shows that the water supply to Delhi was reduced at two separate points — once close to the dates of the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi on May 25, and the second time in the last few days.
“The figures of the affidavit given by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court show that from May 1 to 22, Haryana was releasing 719 cusecs of water in CLC and 330 cusecs of water in DSB through Munak canal. That means 1049 cusecs of water was released daily. But after this, it started decreasing from May 23. Compared to 719 cusecs of water in CLC and 330 cusecs in DSB, the water supply became 675 cusecs and 283 cusecs,” she said at a press conference.
“According to Haryana’s data, on June 7, 8, 9 and 10, Haryana was supposed to release 719 cusecs of water in CLC, instead of which only 675 cusecs of water was released, and in DSB, instead of 330 cusecs, 310 cusecs of water was released,” she said.
Atishi also questioned why action was not being taken against those stealing water from the Munak canal.
“The LG claims that water coming from Munak canal is being stolen from tankers in Delhi. The reality is that less water is coming at the Bawana entry point in Delhi… If illegal tankers are being filled in Delhi, then why has LG not taken action by sending the police till now?” she said, adding that the maintenance of Munak canal also came under Haryana, not Delhi.
Countering the allegations, the LG secretariat accused Atishi of trying to mislead the people of Delhi. “All water treatment plants in Delhi, barring one, are producing more water than their capacity, from water supplied by the Munak canal from Haryana. The Haryana government repairs the Munak Canal but the same is done at the demand of and payment by Delhi government, and Delhi has never tried to ascertain the disrepair in the lining of the canal and never asked for its repair,” an official said.