Delhi faces water shortfall of 50 million gallons a day, do not waste: Atishi

New Delhi: Claiming that Delhi faces a water shortage of 50 million gallons per day (MGD), the city government Thursday urged people not to waste water, and asserted the problem cannot be solved by merely restraining the tanker mafia.

As parts of the city grappled with the acute shortage, the Supreme Court asked the AAP government to approach the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for additional water on humanitarian ground. The situation prompted Lt Governor V K Saxena to ask the Delhi Police to set up patrols along the Munak canal, supplying water to the national capital, to ensure the tanker mafia does not lift water from it.

Under his directions, the Delhi Police set up pickets and started patrolling the 15-kilometre stretch of the Munak canal on the Haryana borders.

Meanwhile, the BJP attacked the AAP government, accusing it of failing to check water leakage and wastage, while encouraging illegal tanker mafia.

Delhi Water minister Atishi inspected the main pipeline supplying water to South Delhi, and asserted the “rumours” of water leakages in Delhi Jal Board (DJB) pipelines were “rumours”.

She also met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail, and said he is worried about the people of the city and has directed to ensure the water crisis is resolved as soon as possible.

The chief minister also directed AAP MLAs to go on the ground and take all possible steps to provide water to the people in their areas, she said.