Owing to an “abnormal rise” in the ammonia level at Wazirabad pond, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was “forced to shut down” two water treatment plants (WTPs) at Wazirabad (130 MGD), Chandrawal (90 MGD) and Okhla (20 MGD) on Saturday. The move is likely to trigger a water crisis in the city, which may affect nearly one-third of its population.
Due to shut down of these water treatment plants, the water supply in the evening shall be affected. As a result, more than 30 per cent of population of Delhi living in walled city, Central, North Delhi and NDMC and institutions of utmost importance including Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament, Prime Minister’s Office and other parts of lutyens’ Delhi get adversely affected.
Currently, there is shortage of over 400 MGD in the national Capital and pressure is too low. Besides, Dwarka water treatment plant is also shut down. The affected areas are Inderlok, Shastri Nagar, Azad Market, Beriwala Bagh, Bara Hindu Rao, Tokriwalan, Pahari Dheeraj, Regarpura, New Rohtak Road, Manakpura, Bapa Nagar, Dev Nagar, Model Basti, Motia Khan, Jhandewalan Extention, Nai Walan, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chauk, Darya Ganj and adjoining area, Group of Hospitals lNJP Hospital, MAMC, GB Pant Hospital, Gurunanak Hospital, Minto Road, Civil lines, Majnu ka Tilla and adjoining areas, Ajmeri Gate, Sita Ram Bazar, Ballimaran, Kucha Pandit, Chawri Bazar, Nai Sarak, Ram lila Ground and adjoining area, Mukund Pur, Burari, Adarsh Nagar, Jahangir Puri, Model Town, Kamla Nagar, Delhi University, Malka Gunj, GTB Nagar, Mukerji Nagar, Timar Pur, Wazirabad and Jagat Pur
On the other hand, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday went to Munak canal to review the repair work.
According to DJB chief executive officer Keshav Chandra, the ammonia level in Wazirabad pond has touched an all-time high of 2.6 miligram per litre (mgl) as opposed to the limit of 0.2 mgl. As a result, production of potable water from the three WTPs — which supply around 240 million gallons daily — has been stopped. “The raw water supply from the Yamuna has been affected due to industrial pollutants from the Sonepat and Panipat drains,” a DJB official said. The DJB also claimed that while the issue of “untreated discharge of industrial waste” into the Yamuna had been raised repeatedly, the Haryana Government has not taken any concrete measures to check it.
Chandra has also written to CPCB chairman and raised the issue of ammonia. Chandra said Domestic and Industrial waste is being discharged into Drain No. 8 near Mandora Village in Haryana and Domestic sewage and Industrial pollution in River Course through Munak Escape. “Spill over of domestic/industrial waste from drain no. 6 to drain no.8 which runs parallel to each other,” is also the reason of high level of ammonia.
“Recently, the Carrier Canal from Haryana carrying raw water to Delhi has been damaged by the agitators, which will take around 15 days in restoration.
“Delhi has no other alternate route for raw water other than Delhi sub branch and the river Course. Delhi sub-branch has limited capacity therefore bulk of the supply has to come through the river course. In the wake of the increase of ammonia in the River Course, almost 30 per cent Delhi will not have drinking water supply. It is therefore essential to keep constant watch on the polluting drains and STPs of Haryana having outflow in the rivercourse,” the letter said.