With the spectre of water scarcity looming large over the national Capital, Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to his Haryana counterpart Manohar lal Khattar and lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. In his letter, sent to Khattar on Thursday, Kejriwal requested him to maintain the current level of water supply to Delhi.
Kejriwal's move came a day after the Haryana Government assured the Supreme Court that it would maintain status quo on supply of the Yamuna river water to the national Capital till May 21 and would decide on the Delhi Government's proposed request to continue the supply. The apex court asked Haryana to expeditiously decide on Delhi's request, saying the issue involves water for drinking purposes and not for irrigation.
In his letter to Khattar, Kejriwal said that Delhi has been facing shortage of drinking water supply from December 30 last year, first because of increased pollution levels at Wazirabad and from April 2 on account of reduced water release through Diversion Drain-8/river Yamuna.
“This has led to Wazirabad pond not being filled up to the desired level due to which drinking water production has been affected at Wazirabad and Chandrawal Water Treatment Plants.”Supply of water through Delhi Sub Branch and Carrier line Channel is reduced by 100 cusecs,” he said.
In the letter, Kejriwal told Khattar that water demand peaks during summer months in May and June up to 20 per cent which makes water rationalisation in distribution difficult.
In a separate letter to the lt Governor, Kejriwal requested him to persuade Haryana to continue the supply of same level of water as it has been doing for the last 22 years. In his letter to Baijal, the chief minister said if Haryana reduces water supply from May 21, it could lead to an “unprecedented situation” and water shortage in the national capital.
“Disruption in water supply from Haryana would affect Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant, which supplies water to the VIP areas of Delhi, including Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, embassies of various countries and other major establishments,” Kejriwal said.
He stated in his letter that Delhi has been receiving 1,133 cusecs of water from Haryana since 1996, but for the first time, the state has contested Delhi's claim.
Kejriwal claimed that the apex court has directed Haryana to maintain status quo till May 21 and asked Delhi to approach the Upper Yamuna River Board.
Delhi CM also requested the lt Governor take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari.
It would be pertinent to mention here that DJB has, recently, flagged the depleted water supply from Haryana. As a result of this, the water level has come down in its ponds. “Due to further depletion of pond level from normal level of 674.50 feet to 671.80 feet and reduction in flow in carrier line channel (ClC) and Delhi Sub Branch (DSB),” the report from DJB stated.
“Water Treatment Plants at Wazirabad, and Chandrawal are receiving low water supply from Haryana and that has forced the DJB to rationalize water supply across the command area of all other Water Treatment Plants,” a DJB official said.
Meanwhile, water supply has been impacted in New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas - India Gate, Connaught Place, Khan market, Golf links, Jor Bagh, lodhi Colony, Pandara Road, Bapa Nagar, Tilak Marg, Pragati Maidan, some areas of Central Delhi - Ramlila Ground, Subhash Park, Darya Ganj, Walled City area, Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, ITO, Press Area and part of South Delhi - Mool Chand, South Extn., lodhi Road, a DJB release issued on Thursday stated.