Voicing concern over the recent incidents of water tanks being “hijacked” by mobs from areas adjoining the parched Dwarka region, the Delhi High Court on Friday observed that the situation indicates the beginning of water wars in the city, which shall only worsen in the coming years.
A bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul made the observation while hearing a matter pertaining to water shortage in Dwarka in which it had on August 6 directed Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to make operational by September 10 about 10 borewells so the residents of the area will get some relief.
An association for Dwarka residents informed the court about the instances of DDA main water tanks there being hijacked in the last week of August by a mob armed with sticks. On Friday, the bench was informed by DDA that out of the 10, eight borewells have been made functional bringing to 14 the number of operational tubewells there.
The authority also informed the bench that remaining two could not be commissioned due to technical difficulties, which would be sorted out in two weeks. The court, however, was not satisfied with DDAs status report and directed it to file a fresh one within two weeks indicating location of all the borewells in Dwarka with pictures to show whether they are connected to the main water supply or being used to fill tankers.
The court also observed that installing borewells is a temporary measure and queried DDA on what it is doing to find a permanent solution to the problem. DDA, in response, said it is waiting for water from DJB, which on its part said that its main water pipeline to supply water to Dwarka and adjoining areas is being held up due to some cases filed in the High Court by people claiming that the pipeline is running through their lands.
Meanwhile, advocate Sumeet Pushkarna, appearing for DJB, informed the court that the whole of Dwarka “is an extremely parched area”. The court on August 6 had noted that only six of the 16 borewells in Dwarka were functional and the remaining 10 are waiting for some electric work to be finished. When all of them become operational, they will together provide about 1.4 million gallons per day (MGD) of water.
The bench was hearing the two separate pleas of Delhi EPDP CGHS and Dwarka Forum which have moved the court seeking directions to the authorities, including the DJB, to provide more water to the area.