As Delhi reeled under a severe water crisis the Arvind Kejriwal Government on Sunday ordered closure of all schools from Monday and rationing of water. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi Government stepped in to restore water supply and asked the Haryana Government to ensure that water supply to Delhi is restored soon. Acting swiftly on the Centre’s directive, the Manohar lal Khattar Government rushed paramilitary forces and a technical team of the Irrigation Department to Akbarpur-Barota point, near Munak canal in Sonepat district, which is under siege by Jat agitators.
However, the security forces failed to remove the protesters. In the national Capital the situation grew worse as another water treatment plants shut down on Sunday due to disruption in supply of raw water from Haryana, taking the number of plants affected to nine.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Government has ordered shutting of all school on Monday and rationing of water.
The Government has also announced that water shall be rationed equally among all residents of the city — barring the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, among others.
Kejriwal also appealed to the people to store water as much as possible. “Delhi is facing unprecedented water crisis. Soon, water will have to be rationed. Shouldn’t scarcity be equally shared between public and VIPsIJ” Kejriwal tweeted on Sunday.
“Barring Prez, PM, CJI, defence installations, hospitals, fire brigades- water to be equally rationed amongst all. Pl save water. Schools closed tomorrow,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Even if the gates of the canal are opened, it will take at least 24 hours. Hence the decision has been taken to shut all schools and Government offices in Delhi. “All schools will be closed tomorrow, both government and private. The exams and admission process have also been postponed due to the water crisis,” said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after an emergency meeting on Sunday morning chaired by Kejriwal.
Water Minister Kapil Mishra, NDMC Secretary and Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra were also present in the meeting. DJB officials told that there is no water in Delhi and stock has been dried up.
The Delhi Government had also updated Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the crisis that if nothing is done immediately, water supply in Delhi would face an unmanageable crisis.
All weekly holidays have been cancelled of DJB employees. All UGRs to maintain optimum level for tanker filling. The Government has directed that all 760 tankers would be on road and it would be treated as emergency services. DJB officials say that 75 per cent tankers from east and south Delhi to be shifted to affected areas.
Officials say that 60 per cent of the Capital’s water supply has been affected and the situation may deteriorate further if the agitation continues for a few more days as just around 325 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) of potable water is being produced right now as against 820 MGD produced to meet Delhi’s demands.
Due to this, 60 per cent water supply has been affected, which will lead to a major water crisis in the national Capital. The water treatment plants at Wazirabad (131 MGD), Chandrawal (93 MGD), Haiderpur (226 MGD), Narela (40 MGD), Bawana (20 MGD) Dwarka (40 MGD) have been closed due to non-supply of raw water. The Okhla treatment plant which has a capacity of 100 MGD is partially affected,” said officials.
Even as DJB was making arrangements to tackle the impending crisis, a top police official of Haryana said their priority would be to open water supply to the national Capital. “Our top priority today is to open water supply to Delhi,” said YP Singhal, Haryana’s director general of police during a media interaction on Sunday.
Earlier, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that Delhi does not have water anymore. “We are left with no water now, this morning’s supply was the last one,” Mishra told ANI.
Mishra said 760 tankers will serve parched areas from Sunday. Delhi Government also asked traffic police to provide free access to water tankers and treat water supply as emergency service. Appealing to people to use water judiciously, Sisodia said stocks were drying up. Against the total production of 820 million gallons per day (MGD) of potable water, only 240 MGD was being produced because of the disruption of supply from Haryana, DJB officials said.