Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Thursday inspected a pipeline network supplying water to South Delhi residents in the national Capital while the police began patrolling the Munak canal area to check the activities of tanker mafia as the water crisis in the city worsened.

A senior officer said police teams have set up pickets and started patrolling the 15-kilometre stretch of the canal on the Haryana borders, supplying water to the national capital.

The canal enters Delhi from Bawana and reaches the Haiderpur Treatment Plant. Teams from Bawana, Narela Industrial Area, Shahbad Dairy and Samai Pur Badali police stations have been tasked with patrolling the Munak Canal and its nearby areas.

"Police personnel have been asked to prevent anyone from taking water from the canal in their tankers," the officer said. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Wednesday directed the Delhi Police chief to ensure a strict vigil along the Munak canal to prevent the theft of water and sought an action taken report within the week.

According to sources, police are also inspecting the posh colonies of Delhi, asking about their water consumption.

Meanwhile, Atishi, accompanied by senior officials of Delhi Jal Board and Revenue Department, inspected the South Delhi Mains pipeline network that supplies water from the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant to millions of people across South Delhi.

"Along with senior officials of Jal Board and Revenue Department, inspected the South Delhi Mains pipeline network that supplies water from Sonia Vihar WTP to millions of people across South Delhi. The Delhi Government is ensuring through patrolling by ADMs and SDMs across the city that not even a single drop of water is wasted due to leakage from the main pipelines. During the water crisis, when Delhi is getting less water, the production of WTPs has decreased. In such a situation, wastage of water will not be tolerated," she said on X (formerly Twitter).

The plight of Delhiites braving an unprecedented high summer heat has been further aggravated by an acute shortage of water supply. Delhi is getting less water and the production at water treatment plants has decreased. In such a situation, wastage of water will not be tolerated, she said. During the inspection, Atishi said that the production of water has gone down by 40 MGD in Delhi and unless Harayna releases more water for the city through the Yamuna, the shortfall cannot be met.

She stated that the government is ensuring that not even a single drop of water is wasted due to pipeline leakage in this hour of crisis.

"Efforts are also being made to get additional water from Haryana and Himachal because in the current situation as Delhi is not getting enough water, which has affected the production of our water treatment plants. In such a situation, it is very important that not even a single drop of the water available is wasted," added Atishi.