On a day when the Supreme Court rapped the Delhi Government on the water crisis issue, Raj Niwas officials said here on Wednesday despite knowing that a large scale water mafia is operational in Delhi.

Stating this, they said though mafia is extorting money from the poorest of the poor, the Delhi Jal Board under AAP never thought it proper to even complain to the police about the same, leave apart filing an FIR, that would have automatically ensured police action.

Further, Saxena has directed Delhi Police to ensure strict vigil and monitoring along Munak canal to prevent any theft of water by tanker mafia and also catch hold of such persons who have been involved in such illegal activities in the past. He has asked the police to take necessary legal action against such mafia elements and directed them to submit a compliance report to him.

Moreover, they never came to Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena asking for action to be taken.  They of course could not have because the water mafia in Delhi operates in connivance with the Aam Aadmi Party under direct patronage and blessings of its leaders.

This assertion came as the apex court asked the AAP Government to submit a report as to what it is doing to arrest wastage, leakage and pilferage of water in Delhi.  A sting operation carried out by a prominent news channel more than established the water mafia operating in the city, forcing a reluctant Water Minister, Atishi, till now in denial, to issue perfunctory statements, officials said.   

On Tuesday, AAP Water Minister in Delhi, Atishi issued a patently and blatantly false statement, blaming Haryana for scarcity of water in Delhi and charged the Delhi LG with "lies".  Convolutedly, she based her fanciful assertions on the affidavit filed by the Government of Haryana in the ongoing matter in this regard, in the Supreme Court, they said.

Elaborating upon this, officials said even a cursory reading of the affidavit that she relied upon busts her lies and calumnious statements.

The Press Release issued by Atishi reads, "Atishi exposes lies of LG, who blames Delhi Government for everything".  "According to LG, Delhi is getting sufficient amount of water whereas according to Haryana's affidavit filed in Supreme Court, Delhi got less water than agreed upon".

"LG claims that water coming from Munak Canal is being stolen from tankers in Delhi; reality is that less water is coming at Bawana entry point in Delhi.  However, facts quoted from the affidavit filed by Haryana Government said "That from the perusal of various documents annexed with this status report, it is evident that the State of Haryana is continuously supplying water more than its allocated share to Delhi and is further committed to continue its efforts for complying with the order of this Hon'ble Court". (para 22 of the affidavit)

"On the allegation made by Delhi that Haryana has not been releasing Delhi's share of water, it is pertinent to mention that the State of Haryana has been continuously releasing the required share including the additional water (330 Cusecs) to Delhi from Munak head and not even a single day the quantum of water released has gone down below 1050 Cusecs".  (para 18 of the affidavit)

Not only this, the affidavit further debunks Atishi's claim of short supply by giving to the courts the exact amount of water released from 23.05.2024 to 09.06.2024.  It reads, "      theOfficer/ Member of UYRB visited Munak, Kakroi and Bawana after the hearing of this Hon'ble Court  and it was found that Haryana in fact is releasing more than the allocated share of water of Delhi.

Also, the Haryana Government affidavit has taken majorly from the Daily Bulletins published by Delhi Jal Board under the AAP Government and specifically its Water Minister.

 In para 15 of the affidavit, it states, "A perusal of these Daily Bulletins published by the Delhi Jal Board shows that the total production of drinking water from all the Water Treatment Plants operated by it is more than its capacity.

The contention of the petitioner (GNCTD), that the State of Haryana has not been releasing enough water as it is required to release as per the share and also as per the direction of this Hon'ble Court, is not maintainable as same is contrary to the facts and ground reality.

Even on 06.06.2024, the total production of water as per the Bulletin issued by the Delhi Jal Board was 613.70 MGD against the designed capacity of 571, for the 07 WTPs operating from Yamuna and Ravi-Beas Waters", supplied through the Munak Canal.

The claim of the petitioner that except for the Wazirabad water treatment plant; all the remaining water treatment plants are running at optimum.

The Press Release issued by Atishi reads, "LG held Delhi Government responsible for maintenance of Munak Canal but in reality, its maintenance comes under Haryana Government: Atishi".

The Munak Canal is maintained by the Haryana Government at the behest, demand and cost of Delhi Government.  During the last 10 years, leave apart asking the Haryana Government to repair the lining of the Canal, the Kejriwal Government did not even consider it worth sending an engineer to look at the status of the Canal, officials said.

Underlining the leakage wastage and theft of water in Delhi that LG had flagged, the affidavit in its paras 20, 21 and 22 tears into the lapses on part of the AAP Government in Delhi, based on data provided in the Economic Survey published by GNCTD itself.