Water crisis: Atishi writes to Hry & UP CMs for additional release

New Delhi: In a bid to alleviate the acute water shortage gripping the national Capital, Delhi Water minister Atishi has reached out to the chief ministers of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, requesting the release of additional water to support Delhi’s escalating needs.

In her correspondence with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Atishi emphasised the gravity of the situation, citing a dramatic increase in water demand due to soaring temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius. She stressed that Delhi, which sources 65 per cent of its water from Haryana, is stretched to its limits. “Delhi is facing one of the worst water crises this year. Unlike previous years, the demand for water has surged manifold. To tackle the existing crisis, we urgently need Haryana to release additional water into the Yamuna River at the earliest,” she wrote.

During a recent visit to the Wazirabad Barrage, Atishi observed a significant drop in water levels, recording 670.3 feet compared to the normal 674.5 feet. This deficit has critically impacted the water production capacity of Delhi’s treatment plants, resulting in severe shortages across the city.

Atishi highlighted the measures taken by the Delhi government to conserve water, including imposing a fine of Rs 2,000 on residents wasting water by washing vehicles with hoses or letting water tanks overflow. Despite these efforts, she stated, “We urgently need water in Yamuna to meet our day-to-day requirements.”

In her appeal to Haryana, she invoked the essential nature of water and its fundamental right, urging the release of additional water for the next month to help Delhi manage through the peak summer.

“Water is essential for the existence of all human beings. Clean drinking water is the right of each citizen. Our ancient texts teach us that giving water to the thirsty is a noble act,” Atishi wrote.

Similarly, in her letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose state supplies Delhi with around 240 million gallons daily from the Ganga, Atishi requested a temporary increase in water release until the monsoon’s arrival. “As a neighbouring state, we request Uttar Pradesh

to lend a helping hand to Delhi in this time of crisis and release additional water for a month,” she appealed.

“The Delhi government and its residents are now anxiously awaiting positive responses from both states, hoping for relief in the form of increased water supplies to navigate the harsh summer months,” Atishi asserted.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused Atishi of “playing politics in the name of water crisis”. He said that there is no shortage of raw water in Delhi as both Haryana and Uttarakhand are giving excess water on a daily basis and it can be verified from the Delhi Jal Board record. He called upon Atishi to stop writing “politically motivated letters” to CMs of BJP-rule Haryana and UP and instead work to clean silt from water ponds and plants, along with stopping water wastage and theft to end the water crisis in Delhi.