Double Delhi whammy: Heat is on & taps go dry

New Delhi, May 29

The national capital is reeling under a severe heatwave this season with temperatures breaching the 50 degree mark on Wednesday, sparking a water crisis.

According to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the water supply saw a steep decrease on May 12. The water production on the day dipped to 939.79 million gallons (MGD) below the target of 1000 MGD according to DJB’s summer action plan. The capital’s water requirement is estimated to be 1,290 MGD according to the economic survey 2023-24 for an estimated population of 21.50 million.

Labourers to receive paid break

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• Labourers working at construction sites in government projects will receive a paid break from 12 noon to 3 pm. This was one of the measures recommended by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on May 20.
• Several other measures to protect workers and residents from the ongoing heatwave include providing water and coconut water to labourers, earthen pots filled with drinking water at bus queue shelters, tankers to sprinkle treated water on roads, among others. — TNS

Rs 2,000 fine for using hoses to wash cars

• Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Wednesday directed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to deploy teams and impose fines of Rs 2,000 on those found wasting water.
• She directed the DJB CEO to deploy 200 teams across the national capital to crackdown on violators washing cars with hose, those with overflowing water tanks and those using domestic water supply for construction or commercial purposes.
• “These teams shall be deployed from 8 am Thursday morning and shall impose a fine of Rs 2,000 on anyone found wasting water,” she wrote in the letter. — TNS

Since May 11, the average production has been around 980 MGD and on May 27 it dipped to 966.16 MGD. Several places in Delhi have been suffering from shortage of water supply this month. On May 29, the water production was at 976.53 MGD according to DJB with the Wazirabad water treatment plant producing 109.46 MGD well below the capacity of 131 MGD. The India Meteorological Department has said that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will prevail on May 30 as well.