NEW DELHI: The AAP said on Sunday that Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena assured that he would try to resolve the city’s ongoing water crisis.
Earlier in the day, a 10-member delegation of AAP leaders met the L-G over the issue even as Water Minister Atishi’s hunger protest for getting water from neighbouring Haryana entered its third day.
The delegation noted that Delhi’s population increased from 1.1 crore in 1994 to three crore now while the amount of water it has been receiving remained the same and stressed urgent action over the matter, a statement said.
“We told the L-G that Delhi is getting the same amount of water today as was allocated for it in 1994. Whereas in the 30 years since 1994, Delhi’s population has increased thrice. We told him that Rs 500 crore was spent on plugging leakages in canals while 12,000 kilometres of pipeline was laid in Delhi. The Delhi government has made a lot of efforts at its level. During the meeting, LG has also given some suggestions on which an agreement to work together was reached,” Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who was a part of the delegation, said. The minister said they also told the L-G that it will likely rain in a week.
“Rain has started in Himachal Pradesh. So much water will come next week that Haryana will not be able to stop it even if it wants to. So now it is just a matter of a week. We have requested LG sir to get water from Haryana for Delhi for a week,” he said.
Hunger protest
Meanwhile, Atishi stated that her indefinite hunger strike would continue until the Haryana government opens the Hathnikund Barrage gates and releases water for Delhi.
“Delhi does not have its own source water. All the water comes from neighboring states. Delhi needs 1,005 MGD of water. Out of this, 613 MGD comes from Haryana, but for the last three weeks, Haryana has reduced the release of water and is releasing only 513 MGD,” Atishi said in a video message.
She said Delhi is getting 100 MGD less water from Haryana daily. “1 MGD feeds 28,500 people. So, 100 MGD less water means 28 lakh people of Delhi are not getting water,” Atishi claimed.
Over Haryana’s assertion that it doesn’t have much water to share with Delhi, Atishi said, “On Saturday, when several media persons visited Hathnikund Barrage, it was full of water. The gate from where water is released for Delhi has been closed. Delhiites should get water as per their rights.”
Atishi’s condition
The AAP stated that Atishi’s blood pressure, sugar level and weight are dropping.
“Compared to the first day of the fast, on the third day, the blood sugar level of the Delhi Water Minister has dropped by 26 units. Also, her diastolic (lower) blood pressure has reached 56 mmHg. The speed with which the blood sugar level and blood pressure of Atishi has dropped, Doctors have described it as dangerous,” the party said in a statement.
Haryana assurance
A Raj Niwas official said that during the meeting, Saxena reiterated that the share of Yamuna water between Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other neighbouring states had been fixed by the Upper Yamuna River Board and it was up for renewal in 2025. The L-G spoke to the Haryana chief minister around who assured Saxena that he would look into the matter and help tide over the situation.