City forced to opt for water rationing

Even if Haryana releases water, it will take 24 hours to reach Delhi, says Kejri

Painting a grim picture on potable water reserves in the city, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that every household in the city may be subjected to rationing to cope with the shortage.

“Even if water is released by Haryana in the Munak Canal today, it will take 24 hours to reach the city and restart the shut water treatment plants,” said Kejriwal, adding that this is the reason schools have been ordered shut on Monday.

“The shortage may continue for the next day or two during which the city will have to make do with only the stock in reservoirs,” he said, appealing to citizens to judiciously use and stock water.

He said the water rationing will include his own house and only the President, the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and defence installations shall be spared the water supply cut during the crisis.
While Kejriwal claimed monitoring the situation closely and seeking help from the Haryana and Union governments for tackling the situation, BJP slammed the government for the water crisis in the city.

Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, said: “If the Chief Minister wanted, he could have talked to the Chief Minister of Uttrakhand and arranged additional supply of water from Ganga Canal, but he has not done so and is playing politics when people of Delhi are facing thirst.”

“The Delhi government, by just filing a case in the Supreme Court, is trying to run away from its own responsibility,” he said.

Gupta said Sunday was the eighth day of Jat movement and the agitators had threatened in advance to  stop the supply of water, milk, fruits and vegetables and other products to Delhi but the AAP government was not alert.

“The Kejriwal government turned a blind eye and waited for the crisis to grow bigger so that he gets  gets an opportunity to blame the Union government for city’s problems,” he said.

“A section of people, expert in looting and exploiting people in such crises, are taking advantage of the situation and making a lot of money. The Delhi government has not prepared any plan for such a crisis,” he said.

Gupta said water treatment plants at Haiderpur, Nangloi, Bawana, Dwarka, Okhla, Chandrawal and Wazirabad are totally shut due to non-availability of water from Munak Canal.

Two-thirds  of Delhiites — numbering 1.25 crore —  are craving for supply of water since Saturday evening.

“As per information the Jat agitators have destroyed all the electronic switches of the gate of Munak canal and machines have been damaged. Therefore, it will take time to repair the canal gate and the machines. Till then the people of Delhi will be forced to remain thirsty due to Delhi government’s poor response,” said Gupta.

The BJP leader said the Delhi government’s laxity in preparing a crisis plan has forced closure of all private and government schools on Monday and disrupted the nursery admission process.