As elections in the South Delhi constituency revolve primarily around the issue of water, candidates from the seat are coming up with unique solutions to woo voters. While Aam Aadmi Party’s Colonel Devinder Sehrawat has chalked out a plan to link the Yamuna and Hindon rivers, BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri has vowed to put an end to the Munak Canal dispute if voted to power. Congress’ Ramesh Kumar, on the other hand, plans to bring water to the Capital through the proposed Renuka Dam in Himachal Pradesh.
According to Sehrawat, solution to the perennial water crisis is in ideating a long-term plan for the same. “My proposal is to link the Yamuna and Hindon rivers and create three reservoirs for storage of excess rainwater. These shall be manmade lake like water bodies with which several regions will be water sufficient for at least four months,” said Sehrawat. Acknowledging the fact that Delhi lacks in sources of water, he emphasised that even the history of the city signifies the importance of storage of water. “Historically also Delhi has always stored water in reservoirs which were called ‘hauz’ or ‘johars’. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is vital to resolving the problem and if I become the MP, I would press upon keeping separate funds for RWH,” added Sehrawat.
Sitting MlA from Tughlakabad and BJP’s candidate, Ramesh Bidhuri has resolved to get Delhi its share of Yamuna water from Haryana. “Our constitution states that any State which has a natural resource has the right to have some share of it. For years Haryana has denied our share of the Yamuna. It is appalling how the issue is not solved even when Congress party had Governments in Haryana, Delhi and the Centre. The first thing I will do is get this passed in the Parliament if BJP is voted to power,” said Bidhuri.
Accepting failure to solve the Munak Canal issue, Congress’ sitting MP and candidate, Ramesh Kumar has his eyes set on a new source of water for South Delhi residents. “The water situation has been turned from bad to worse by the AAP during its 49-day Government. I have already done a lot which includes increasing the number of tankers and making all information available online. Getting water from Renuka Dam will be my main focus if I am re-elected,” said Kumar. The Renuka Dam has been stuck for years now due to environmental clearance.
Meanwhile, on asking the leaders about their opinion on illegal borewells and tubewells which are widely used in South Delhi, they came up with contrasting views. “They have to come under the control of the RWAs. At present, politicians have appointed people to run these tubewells and borewells who earn a hefty sum by selling water at exorbitant rates,” said Sehrawat. Bidhuri, instead, blamed water scarcity on the tanker mafia and tubewells. “It is because water is not available to the people that they have resorted to alternate options,” said Bidhuri. Ramesh Kumar preferred to put it all on AAP for ‘destabilising the status quo’ of South Delhi.