Atishi meets CM in jail, inspects pipeline in Capital

After meeting the CM, Atishi said that Kejriwal sought a status check on electricity and water supply in Delhi

Delhi water minister Atishi met chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail on Thursday as the state government is engaged in a legal battle over distribution of the Yamuna water with some parts of the city facing shortage of supply.

Delhi Water Minister Atishi inspects main pipeline network carrying water from Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant to South Delhi on Thursday. (HT Photos)

After meeting the CM, Atishi said that Kejriwal sought a status check on electricity and water supply in Delhi. “Delhi CM has instructed the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs to go among the people and work to solve their problems, if they are facing water shortage,” the minister said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener is lodged in Tihar jail’s number 2 in connection with an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into money laundering allegations pertaining to the now-scapped Delhi excise policy.

Atishi said, “The chief minister came to know through news outlets that that there is a water problem in Delhi and people are troubled. He has instructed me that whatever steps are required to be taken to overcome the water shortage in Delhi should be taken as soon as possible.”

The water minister and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha met Kejriwal for half-an-hour in the visitor’s room in Tihar.

Later, addressing a press conference at the Delhi secretariat, Atishi said that the Delhi government has provided all details to the Supreme Court on steps being taken to minimise pilferage and ensuring efficient water distribution. “The water losses from the unlined Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB) canal were 30% but Delhi Jal Board (DJB) spent ₹500 crore on developing Carrier Lined Canal (Munak) to reduce water wastage. In the last nine years, leaking pipelines have been replaced and over new pipelines have been laid to prevent water thefts through illegal tapping of distribution lines,” she said.

She added that 3,285 bulk flow meters have been installed in Delhi on major water distribution nodes to track usage of water. “We carried out a water audit according to which the leakage in Delhi is less than international standards,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Atishi inspected DJB pipeline in Sonia Vihar and Akshardham areas. “The allegations that large scale leakages are taking place is just a rumour,” she added. Atishi said special patrolling teams have been deployed to check leakage and thefts.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said , “Today when the Delhi Government owed a reply to people of Delhi after reprimand from the Supreme Court and condemnation by people of Delhi over the government’s failure to stop water theft & transmission leakage losses the Water Minister Atishi has again resorted to her old script that today I met the CM Arvind Kejriwal and he expressed concern over water shortage in Delhi.”