NEW DELHI: Blaming Haryana over the scarcity of water in Delhi, Water Minister Satyendar Jain said water treatment plants in the city are currently running at a fraction of their peak capability. “Wazirabad WTP’s water production has decreased by 60-70 MGD,” Jain said on Tuesday, adding,
“This must be understood in light of the fact that a 1-foot drop in Yamuna’s water level causes a scarcity in Delhi, as the river provides the majority of the city’s drinking water. Because of Haryana’s obstruction in supply of water, Delhiites are not getting their fair share of water.”
In light of the declining water level in the Yamuna, Jain conducted an on-site review of the Wazirabad barrage, calling it “one of the most important water sources for North and West Delhi.” He said that the water level at Wazirabad barrage has dropped from its typical 674.5 feet to this year’s lowest level of 669 feet.
Why is Wazirabad barrage important?
The majority of the water supply to Delhi comes from Haryana via the Yamuna, which enters Delhi 15 km before the Wazirabad Barrage. The barrage, a unique form of dam with a series of enormous gates, was constructed on the Yamuna in 1959. The dip in the water level here this year has led the Delhi Jal Board to repeatedly demand that the Haryana irrigation authorities look into the issue.
Staring at scarcity
Water supply is being impacted in locations such as Civil Lines, Hindurao Hospital, Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Karol Bagh, Paharganj, Old and New Rajinder Nagar, Patel Nagar, Baljit Nagar, Indrapuri, and the surrounding districts.
“It has become a daily routine since a week,” Vaishali Chaudhary, a resident of New Rajinder Nagar, said. “Considering the weather conditions, water is something we can’t do without. We can still manage washing utensils and clothes but what about the drinking water? We are forced to buy drinking water every day.”
Anshula Kataria of Karol Bagh cited similar issues, saying, “For the past two weeks, our locality has been dependent on tankers to fill the drinking water. It has been a tough time for all of us.”