Water crisis: Atishi shoots off letter to Haryana CM Saini

New Delhi, June 9

Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Sunday wrote to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on the issue of Haryana continuously reducing the water supply to Delhi through the Munak Canal.

She demanded immediate intervention of the Haryana CM to give Delhi its share of water through the Munak Canal. Atishi said if Haryana did not give adequate amount of water to Delhi in the next two-three days, there would be a big water crisis in every area of Delhi.

Meeting with L-G today

• The Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday scheduled a meeting with Water Minister Atishi on Monday to address concerns over the reduced water supply from Haryana through the Munak Canal, a crucial source of potable water for the national capital, according to Raj Niwas officials.
• Atishi had requested an emergency meeting with Saxena to discuss the issue. Raj Niwas Delhi responded to her post, confirming “Hon’ble LG will meet Atishi at 11:00 AM tomorrow.” The LG has also directed officials to determine the actual amount of water being released by Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, as well as to examine measures to prevent water wastage and leakage in Delhi and the status of the desilting of the Wazirabad reservoir, as per SC directives. TNS

“I am writing this letter to seek your urgent intervention on the issue of non-release of water into the Yamuna by Haryana. I have sent several correspondences to you, unfortunately I have not received even an acknowledgement for the same,” she wrote in the letter.

“… Delhi is dependent on water from Yamuna for its day-to-day needs. However, for the past few days, Haryana has not been releasing adequate amount of water in the Munak Canal. As a result of this, the people living in the National Capital have been suffering unjustifiably,” she wrote.

I am writing this letter to seek your urgent intervention… I have sent several correspondences to you, unfortunately I have not received even an acknowledgement for the same. — Atishi, Delhi Water Minister in her letter to Haryana CM

Highlighting the agreement in the 53rd meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board, which was convened on May 2018, around 1050 cusecs (i.e. 568 MGD) was allocated to Delhi at Munak through CLC and DSB Canals, she said, “Considering the transmission loss, the allocation of 1050 cusecs at Munak corresponds to about 1013 cusecs (i.e. 548 MGD). This is measured by Delhi at the Bawana contact point, where the water enters Delhi, where flow meters have been installed by Delhi. These flow meters were checked by representatives of the Upper Yamuna River Board, last week itself.”

“On an average, the water received at the Bawana contact point, even in summer, is between 980 and 1030 cusecs. Data for the last five years is enclosed along with this letter. However, in the last one week this has seen a drastic reduction,” she emphasised in her letter.

She further said there were seven Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Delhi that were dependent on Yamuna water.

“Due to the deficit of raw water, our water treatment plants are unable to run at their optimum capacity. With the water from Munak Canal reducing to 840 cusecs, Delhi will be unable to produce adequate water from our 7 WTPs,” she wrote.

“If Haryana does not release the adequate amount of water by today, Delhi will have a major crisis in the next 1-2 days,” she wrote.“The chief minister of Haryana should ensure that 1050 cusecs of water of its share is released to Delhi from the Munak Canal,” she urged.

She said despite writing letters continuously on this issue, neither any appropriate action was taken, nor any answer was received.