Cabinet ministers write to PM, urge him to solve water crisis

New Delhi, June 24

The Delhi Cabinet ministers wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, demanding that he ensure the Capital receives its full water share. The ministers also requested Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena to join them in a visit to the Wazirabad barrage to verify the water supply from Haryana.

The plea followed a meeting held at the protest site led by Water Minister Atishi in Bhogal with Cabinet ministers Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Imran Hussain and Kailash Gahlot.

Rai said, “The BJP government of Haryana is stopping the rightful share of water for Delhiites.” He emphasised that the Haryana Government has cut Delhi’s supply by 100 MGD, leaving the Yamuna nearly dry at Wazirabad.

Rai also noted that despite the L-G’s claims that Haryana is meeting its quota, the reality on the ground suggests otherwise. “The government report shows that the pond of Wazirabad has completely dried up. The water treatment plant in Wazirabad is not getting water,” he added. He further said the flow from the Munak canal has reduced significantly.

The ministers collectively appealed to the Prime Minister, highlighting the severe heatwave exacerbating the water crisis. “Delhi has never experienced such heat in the last decade, due to which Delhiites are yearning for every drop of water,” they wrote. The letter also criticised Haryana for refusing additional water from Himachal Pradesh, which could be routed through Haryana to Delhi.

The AAP leaders said that they have made several attempts to resolve the issue, including appeals to the Haryana Government, the Union Jal Shakti Minister and the Supreme Court, but to no avail. “Now, you tell me what option is left with us after all these efforts?” Rai questioned.

In addition to their plea to the Prime Minister, the ministers requested the L-G to conduct a joint visit to the Wazirabad pond and Munak canal to assess the situation firsthand.

“The L-G repeatedly says only one thing — that Haryana is giving its water. Whereas the government report shows that the pond of Wazirabad has dried up,” Rai said.

Meanwhile, doctors from Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital on Monday examined Water Minister Atishi and advised her to get admitted due to adverse health effects from her indefinite hunger strike, now entering its fourth day.

However, the AAP leader vowed to continue her fast until Haryana released the “rightful share of Delhi’s water”.

“My blood pressure and sugar levels are dropping, and my weight has gone down. Ketone level is very high which can have harmful effects in the long run,” Atishi said. However, she refused hospitalisation, stating, “No matter how much my body suffers, I will continue the fast till Haryana releases water.”

In her video message, she said, “I am on this hunger strike because there is a huge shortage of water in Delhi. Delhi does not have its own water; all the water here comes from neighbouring states. But for the last three weeks, Haryana has reduced sending water to Delhi. The Haryana Government has been giving 100 MGD less water to Delhi for the last three weeks.”

“No matter how bad my health is, no matter how much pain my body is in, my resolve to hunger strike is strong and until 28 lakh Delhiites do not get water, my indefinite hunger strike will continue,” Atishi concluded her message.

The health checkup revealed her blood pressure at 110/70 mmHg, blood sugar at 71 mg/dL, oxygen level at 98 and weight at 63.6 kg.