CM demands hike in Delhi’s water share

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 24

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday demanded that Delhi’s share in water allocation, which was fixed at 875 cusecs in 1996 and remained static since, needed urgent upward revision as the population of the national capital had nearly doubled since then.

The demand was made by the Chief Minister in a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister  Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, which was attended by Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendra Jain, Delhi Chief Secretary and top officials of the Union Ministry and Delhi Jal Board.

Kejriwal informed the Union minister that Delhi’s water requirement was last fixed in 1996 when the population of the city was 1.25 crore and Delhi had undergone massive expansion in the last 23 years with the population shooting up during the last over two decades.

The CM appealed to Shekhawat to urgently address the issue of increasing the water allocation of Delhi.

“Today’s water requirement of Delhi cannot be met with what was fixed in 1996. I also appeal to you to consider the fact that Delhi is the country’s capital and all authorities concerned must ensure that drinking water is available to all residents. It must be the primary responsibility of all,” said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said the water demand in Delhi would further go up in the coming years with the Delhi Development Authority’s land pooling policy coming up.  

According to the policy, at least 16 lakh new flats would be constructed and this would further increase the water demand in a major way.

The Chief Minister requested the Union minister to expedite necessary approvals for the Delhi Government’s ambitious project for natural water storage in the Yamuna floodplains. 

He said Shekhawat assured him that the Union ministry would examine the Delhi Government’s proposal and give its opinion within three days of receiving it.