AAP minister Atishi alleges Haryana govt 'blocked' Yamuna water supply to Delhi; CM Nayab Saini contest her claim

PTI

New Delhi, May 22

Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi on Wednesday alleged that the Haryana government has “stopped” the water supply to the national capital under a “new conspiracy” hatched by the BJP to target the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of voting on May 25 in the national capital.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, however, rejected the allegation, saying the water supply to Delhi “is continuing as per the agreement and nobody can stop it”.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which is responsible for water supply in the national capital, also issued a statement saying the water level of Yamuna River at Wazirabad on a daily basis in May was far better than the levels measured in May of 2021 and 2022.

“Particularly, the data from 15th May (in 2024) onwards revealed that on each day, the water level at Wazirabad was higher as compared to the levels recorded in the years 2021 and 2022 for each corresponding day,” DJB said.

Further, the total production capacity of DJB from all sources including Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) and tube wells is 956 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) against which the production from May 1, 2024, to May 21, 2024 ranges between 1003 MGD to 981 MGD, it said.

The daily production of water is more than the installed capacity of 956 MGD (both WTPs and Tubewells), the Delhi government agency said.

“DJB assures the people of Delhi that focused attention is given continuously for the optimum production and supply of water to the people of Delhi. DJB is fully geared up to meet the demand and handle any unforeseen situation in the ongoing summer season, 2024,” it said.

The water level in the Yamuna River at Wazirabad depends upon many factors like weather conditions, temperature, state of precipitation in the catchment area, and regeneration of the river among others.

“These fluctuations are routine and standard in nature, particularly become significant in summer months,” the DJB said.

Hitting out at the Atishi, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said AAP has come out with a new “lie” as it fears defeat in the polls and alleged that it was corruption and inaction of the AAP government that is responsible for the shortage of water in Delhi.”

Atishi, who holds the water portfolio, wrote a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Saini over the matter.

Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, she said the BJP has been hatching conspiracies to target AAP ever since the Lok Sabha polls were announced.

“Within five days of the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested so that the AAP could not campaign in the polls.

“After he came out on interim bail, they used the party's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal to frame him but even that plan did not work,” Atishi said.

“Then they raked up the old issue of foreign funding to the party and now through their Haryana government, the BJP has stopped the supply of Yamuna water to Delhi,” she alleged.

If there is no action on the Haryana government's part, the minister said they will move an urgent application to the Supreme Court.

In her letter, she alleged, “It has come to my notice that the water flow from Haryana to Delhi seems to be deliberately reduced.

“Our records show that there is a drastic drop in the water levels at the Wazirabad Barrage, indicating lower water levels of Yamuna River which is the main lifeline of Delhi.”

It is clear that Haryana is not releasing Delhi's water share of Yamuna water, she said, adding this reduction in water levels of the Yamuna is having a serious impact on water production for the people of Delhi.

“It almost seems to be a deliberate conspiracy amid the election season, aimed at creating an artificial emergency, thereby disrupting the normalcy of life in Delhi and creating a situation of panic,” she said in the letter.

This issue of reduction in Yamuna water levels in Delhi has been brought to the attention of the Irrigation Department of the Haryana Government multiple times by the officers of the Delhi Jal Board, she claimed.

“Despite repeated requests to release sufficient water to maintain the minimum pond level of 674.50 feet at Wazirabad Barrage, there has been no improvement in the situation.

“In light of the urgent need to provide adequate water supply to the residents of Delhi, I earnestly request your immediate intervention in this matter. It is imperative that the State of Haryana must immediately release Delhi's rightful share of water into the Yamuna River to bring the waters to the normal level of 674.5 feet,” she added.

Sachdeva, however, sought to corner Atishi, asking what steps she had taken to improve the water supply situation in the past month after Kejriwal had issued instructions to her on the matter from jail.

“Delhi CM Kejriwal had written a letter to her from Tihar a month ago to address the issues of water supply. She should tell what was done in the past month. The corruption and inaction of the AAP government is responsible for the shortage of water in Delhi,” the BJP leader said.

“Fearing its defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, the AAP has come out with a new lie. When we raised the issue of the water supply crisis on Monday the minister did not utter a word and now she is blaming the BJP,” Sachdeva said.

Atishi accused the BJP of doing this to “tarnish the image of the AAP government" and "to trouble the people of Delhi”.

“On May 21, maybe for the first time in history, Yamuna's water level came down to 670.9 feet,” she said.

“They want to create a water crisis in the capital. I want to warn the people of Delhi that in the coming days till May 25, more such things will happen. They will do this to manipulate voters. I want to tell BJP that you cannot fool the people of Delhi,” she said.

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