Amid Crisis, Atishi Urges Haryana To Release Water Into Yamuna River

Delhi's Water Minister Atishi on Monday appealed Haryana government to release the water and solve the problems of the people of Delhi amid the escalating water crisis and sweltering heat.

Addressing the media persons, Ms Atishi said, "Today we are here at Wazirabad barrack. Water from here is sent to various water treatment plants including Wazirabad, Chandrawal, and Okhla. Currently, no water is being released into the Wazirabad barrage. The water level has stepped so low that now the river bed is visible. Again, we are appealing to the Haryana government to release the water and solve the problems of the people of Delhi."

Ms Atishi also informed that the senior officials and additional chief secretaries level officers from the Delhi Government will meet the officials of the Haryana Government amid the escalating water crisis and sweltering heat.

Ms Atishi conveyed, "The senior officials and additional chief secretaries level officers from the Delhi government will depart for Haryana on Tuesday to meet the 'Irrigation Department'.

She further urged the Haryana Government to release the water in Yamuna so that Delhi's public can be relieved.

Delhi Water Minister said, "Till the time Haryana doesn't release water into the Yamuna, water shortage will continue in Delhi. Munak Canal is receiving very little water and on the other hand, Wazirabad Barrage is receiving no water. The water from Yamuna goes to water treatment and is then resent to Delhi's public after re-treatment. But there is no water in Yamuna, the reason why the supply is halted. I can just stand before the Haryana government with folded hands and appeal to save the lives of Delhi's public.

She further conveyed that the maintained water level is due to the recycled water that is being sent by the plant to the barrage.

Quoting the data, she said, "According to the data of reports of the last five years, the water level in Wazirabad Barrage is around 674.5 feet and it has now reached 668 feet. It's 668 ft because we send some recycled water from plants for its efficiency, otherwise, we could have spotted only river beds. Also, the water level in Munak Canal is also around 902-904 cusecs."

She further stated, "It's very common that if the water from the source is disrupted, then the water supply will eventually be halted."

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Haryana Nayab Singh Saini on Monday took a potshot at Delhi's government for neglecting and mismanaging the issue of water supply. He stated that Haryana is providing an adequate amount of water to the national capital.

Addressing media persons, Haryana CM said, "We are providing them sufficient water. First, the AAP government should do some introspection on themselves. They are more focused on corruption rather than fulfilling its promises to the public. They should focus on implementing developmental schemes for the public of Delhi rather than doing corruption."

Taking it further, Mr Saini stated, "They have been running the government for the last 10 years, they should have worked on the water distribution system instead of blaming another state for the water supply. We (Haryana) are providing more than sufficient water to them. Delhi's public is ours too if they suffer, we also suffer. But the way their government lied to the public by not providing any facilities or building an effective system due to corruption, I think Delhi's public should give a befitting reply to them."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)