L-G meets Atishi & Saurabh, assures help over water shortage issue

New Delhi: Lt Governor V K Saxena on Monday met Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj and assured them that he will take up the water supply matter with the Haryana government. He advised them not to indulge in “blame game” and resolve issues amicably.

The ruling AAP dispensation has accused the BJP-ruled Haryana of stopping Delhi’s share of water for the past several days as the national capital is passing through a severe water crisis amid unprecedented summer heat.

After meeting, Atishi said the L-G assured them that he would talk to the Haryana government to ensure that the national capital’s share of 1,050 cusecs water is released in the Munak canal.

In a statement, the L-G office said Saxena assured the ministers that he will take up the matter of supply with the government of Haryana and request them to give extra water on humanitarian grounds.

Saxena also advised the ministers to avoid blame game and prevent wastage of water, it said.

“The L-G advised the ministers to not get into pointless blame game and resolve the issue amicably with the neighbouring states.

He pointed out that even if Haryana were to give additional water above its allocated share, Delhi did not have enough water treatment plants (WTPs) and capacity to treat the water and supply to the people of Delhi,”

the statement said.

He underlined that if the wastage of the water to the tune of 25 per cent in Munak canal due to lack of repairs and theft, and 54 per cent unaccounted water which includes 40 per cent leakages and theft in the city itself are plugged, the water crisis in Delhi will automatically be resolved to a large extent, it said.

The Delhi government has during the past fortnight repeatedly accused Haryana of not releasing the national capital’s share of water.

Atishi said, “The water level in the Wazirabad barrage has gone down and less water is coming from the Munak canal. We have requested the Lt Governor 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.