Delhi BJP on Thursday attacked the AAP Government over the water crisis in the national Capital, demanding an answer from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal government about how Delhi Jal Board, which was in a profit of Rs. 600 crores ten years ago, is in a loss of Rs. 73000 crores. It accused the AAP of failing to prevent wastage of water and misleading people on the issue.

Addressing a press conference, New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj and Delhi BJP Media Head Praveen Shankar Kapoor said due to the shortage of water, people are being fleeced by the tanker mafia. "The Kejriwal Government is answerable that the Delhi Jal Board which was running at a profit of 600 crores during the tenure of the then Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit, has today reached a loss of 73000 crores. This question needs to be properly discussed," she said.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police here began patrolling the Munak canal area to check the activities of the tanker mafia and Water Minister Atishi inspected a pipeline network supplying water to south Delhi residents.

Hitting out at Atishi, Swaraj alleged that instead of ensuring action against the tanker mafia, the minister is extending protection to them. "Atishi says that even if the tanker mafia is stopped, not much water would be saved. This is very unfortunate because people facing water shortage are being fleeced by the tanker mafia," she said.

The BJP leader also criticised the AAP government for "failing" to prevent wastage and leakage of water and "misleading" people on the issue. "I want to ask the AAP government and Atishi how long will they continue to come up with excuses and mislead people. They should come out of their air-conditioned press conference rooms and see the plight of the people," Swaraj said.

On Atishi's letter to Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena seeking a probe into alleged collusion between senior officers and the tanker mafia, Swaraj said the Delhi government faced the Supreme Court's wrath on the issue of the tanker mafia but it was trying to shift the blame on the officers.

"It is regrettable that the Kejriwal government, which failed to stop water theft and wastage in Delhi, tried to put the problem arising out of its own mistakes on the neighbouring states by calling it a water shortage crisis," she said, adding that Supreme Court's statement that if the Delhi Government cannot stop tanker theft, then it should be handed over to the Delhi Police is a slap on the Kejriwal Government.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to approach the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for water supply as Himachal Pradesh took a U-turn and told the top court that it did not have surplus water to spare. The court asked the Delhi government to submit an application to the UYRB by 5 pm seeking supply of water to the national capital on humanitarian grounds.