NEW DELHI: Water Minister Atishi on Monday said L-G VK Saxena assured her that he’d speak to the Haryana government to ensure that the national capital’s share of 1,050-cusec water is released in the Munak canal.
Earlier in the day, Atishi and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj met Saxena over the water shortage in the national capital.
During the past fortnight, the Delhi government has repeatedly accused Haryana of not releasing the national capital’s share of water.
“The water level in the Wazirabad barrage has gone down and less water is coming from the Munak canal. We have requested the L-G to talk to the Haryana government about releasing more water in the Munak canal. Seven treatment plants of Delhi depend on the Munak canal for water. The Lt Governor has assured us that he would talk to the Haryana government,” she said.
Atishi said they also spoke to Saxena about vacant posts in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
“The DJB CEO also holds charge of two other critical departments -- GST and Public Works department. He (Saxena) has assured us that he will appoint an officer who will solely hold the charge of DJB CEO. Apart from that, there is no member (finance), member (drainage) in the DJB. We have raised the issue in the last six months with the Lt Governor but appointments have not been made,” the senior AAP leader said. “He (Saxena) has assured us that he will address the issue within one or two days,” Atishi added.
However, an inspection report by the DJB officials was presented in the meeting where it was informed that on June 9, Haryana released 2,289 cusec of water at Munak Canal in Haryana and the quantity of water released from Munak to Kakori for supply exclusively to Delhi was 1,161.084 cusec against the quota of 1,050 cusec of water.
“However, water received from Munak canal at Bawana in Delhi was 960.78 cusec, amounting to a loss of 200 cusec, i.e., 18 per cent on that date. These losses should be less than 5 per cent as per the accepted norms,” said the L-G office. Munak Canal is the main source from where Delhi gets water from Haryana for supply to seven out of Delhi’s nine water treatment plants (WTP).