With water crisis looming, Delhi to move SC for additional water from neighbours

The water level of Yamuna was 670.2 feet, against the normal level of 674 feet.

With Delhi in the grip of a heatwave and ensuing acute water shortage, Delhi water minister Atishi on Thursday said that the government will approach the Supreme Court to get additional raw water from neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi minister Atishi inspects the Wazirabad barrage on the Yamuna on Thursday. (HT)

Atishi also announced a slew of emergency measures, which comprise setting up a water tanker war room headed by an IAS-level officer to improve availability, and imposing a complete ban on the use of potable water for construction and washing of vehicles, among others.

Addressing a press conference after a review meeting that included urban development minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, senior government officials and chief secretary Naresh Kumar at the secretariat on Thursday afternoon, Atishi said Delhi is water-dependent on the Yamuna, which feeds the city’s water treatment plants (WTPs) at Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla.

“The raw water from Yamuna is stopped at Wazirabad and fed to these three plans. I inspected the Wazirabad barrage today and the water level was 670.2 feet, against the normal level of 674 feet. When there is less raw water availability, it impacts operations of Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Okhla WTPs,” the minister said.

Bharadwaj said that the petition in the Supreme Court is likely to be filed by Friday morning. “Our plea is that Delhi is facing water shortage and if our neighbouring states have any water that they can provide, they should share it with Delhi during this emergency condition; 50 or 100 or 200mgd (million gallons a day), whatever quantum of water they can provide.”

Measures to alleviate water stress

Announcing alleviation measures, Atishi said: “Areas with shortage of water supply need water tankers. We are setting up a central water tanker war room at DJB headquarters, which would be headed by a senior IAS officer. People can call 1916 helpline, which will send the request to the war room for providing the tankers.”

Atishi said that currently, subdivisional magistrates (SDMs) are busy with election duties, but from June 5, each of the 11 water zones in Delhi would be headed by an SDM or ADM-level officer for setting up quick reaction teams to address the water shortages in hot spots, coordinate tanker operates and address complaints. “Borewells and tubewells are being used in many parts of the city to augment supply and electricity department teams have been formed to ensure that no borewell is dysfunctional at any time,” the minister said.

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She said that as announced a day prior, 200 DJB (Delhi Jal Board) teams would be formed to issue challans on water wastage and this cell will also be headed by an IAS officer. On Wednesday, Atishi issued orders that a fine of ₹2,000 would be issued to people wasting water by washing cars or overflowing tanks.

In additional measures, she said that two important bans have been added. “There would be a complete ban on use of potable water at construction sites and car service stations. Violating units would be sealed by the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) and DPCC (Delhi Pollution Control Committee), respectively. The enforcement teams will be deployed from Friday,” she said.

The water minister also appealed to Delhi residents to minimise water use and avoid wastage.

Bureaucracy blamed

The tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ministers and bureaucracy continued on Thursday, with Bharadwaj ruing the absence of the officers heading the health department and DJB at the review meeting.

“It was expected that heatwave would be observed during this time of the year. Without informing their respective ministers, the health secretary and DJB CEO have both gone on leave at such a critical time... and they were not present in the meeting,” he said.

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The minister said that chief secretary Naresh Kumar informed them about the officers’ leaves. “I am also unwell at this point, but Delhi is facing an emergency situation. We don’t even know why they are on leave,” he said.

Besides the measures, Atishi blamed neighbouring Haryana for the water shortage in Delhi. “The water level in Yamuna on May 30 in last few years was around 674.5 feet to 673.8 feet, but it has now dropped to 670.3 feet,” she said.

A Haryana government irrigation department official, requesting anonymity, said that Haryana has been supplying water due to Delhi, as per the agreements. “Delhi has approached Supreme Court in previous years as well. We will put forward our position in the court,” the official said

Over the last week, Haryana government has repeatedly refuted claims of Delhi government accusing it of creating water crisis in the national capital.

On May 22, Abhe Singh Yadav, minister of state (Independent charge) for irrigation and water resources said: “Haryana has been supplying sufficient water which is due to Delhi as per the agreements. The AAP government is trying to hide its failures and giving a political colour to this issue by levelling false accusations.”

Yadav alleged that Delhi has been continuously getting sufficient Yamuna waters for domestic use from Haryana, which can be consumed and fill water reservoirs and treatment plants at Wazirabad and Haiderpur.