Delhi minister Atishi addresses a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Credit: PTI photo
New Delhi: Water Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused Haryana of not releasing Delhi's share of water since May 1 and said the government will be implementing a slew of measures including rationalising supply of water in the national capital.
She said that the Delhi government may approach the Supreme Court if the supply of Yamuna water to the city does not improve in coming days.
The minister also said that the government might be forced to issuing challans to people for activities like washing vehicles.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva termed as a "blatant lie" the Atishi's claim that Haryana has stopped releasing water to Delhi.
"Delhi is regularly receiving water from Haryana. Delhi government has failed to stop water theft and supply loss that is responsible for water crisis," he said in a statement.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Atishi said many areas in Delhi are grappling with water shortage and appealed to people to use water judiciously. She also warned that if people do not heed this appeal, the government may have to impose challan for excess use of water in coming days.
She said that the Delhi government is constantly talking to Haryana about the issue and if it is not resolved in the next couple of days, it may approach the Supreme Court over the matter.
"Haryana has stopped release of Delhi's share of water. The water level at Wazirabad was 674.5 feet on May 1. This is the average level that should be maintained. Last year in April, May, and June, the minimum level was maintained at 674.5 feet," Atishi said.
Sharing data, the minister said till May 8, the water level at Wazirabad came down to 672 feet and by May 20 it was at 671 feet and on Tuesday, it declined further to 669.8 feet.
"The borewells that were earlier working six to seven hours have been functional for 14 hours. We have also increased the number of water tankers. Starting today, we are reducing water supply in those areas where it is supplied twice a day to once a day. The rationalised water will be supplied to areas grappling with water crisis," she added.
Atishi also appealed to people not to wash vehicles with water pipes.
"We may have to issue challans for excess use of water if people do not heed to this public appeal. Misuse of water is highly irresponsible," she said.
Amid the heat wave, it is responsibility of all Delhiites to save water, the minister said in an appeal to the people.
"Since last week, there has been a very serious water crisis in many areas of Delhi. We have almost doubled the running time of borewells in many areas from six-seven hours to 14 hours per day and the number of water tankers to deficient areas has also been increased," she said.
The minister said she came to know that in some residential areas of south Delhi, vehicles were being washed using pipes leading to wastage of water.
She also asked the people to be careful about filling their water tanks, and appealed to them to be judicious in usage of water for domestic purposes as well.
Delhi BJP chief Sachdeva said that Atishi had been asked by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when he was in jail, to ensure proper water supply in the city, and claimed that she failed to deal with the situation.
The "severe water shortage" faced by the people of Delhi amid scorching heat is a direct result of the "incompetence and inability" of the Aam Aadmi Party government to bring a summer action plan, Sachdeva alleged.
For this situation, both Kejriwal and Atishi are responsible, he said.