Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Monday inspected the Wazirabad barrage and the water treatment plant and said that the water level has gone very low, to the extent that the river bed was visible.
Atishi who was speaking to reporters during her visit to the barrage, once again appealed to the Haryana government to release sufficient water, as this water reservoir is the one which feeds important water treatment plants.
She further said that unless Haryana releases sufficient water, the crisis will not end in Delhi.
Talking of the Munak Canal, another important source of Delhi’s water supply, the minister claimed that sufficient water was not flowing in from the canal as well.
She said that Wazirabad barrage receives water from Haryana, which is further pumped to the water treatment plants of Chandrawal, Okhla and Wazirabad, and added that the three important WTPs are now facing issues in the water production.
She further questioned that, ”if there is no water received, how will the water treatment plants work?”
Atishi further said that the water which is currently visible at the barrage reservoir was because of the recycled water released by the plant to maintain its efficiency, otherwise, she claimed that only sand would be visible, as the level had dropped so low.
Meanwhile, the city’s water crisis is intensifying with people getting on to streets with the increasing shortage.
The struggle is increasing for those staying in areas depending on supply from tankers as people are just somehow managing to collect drinking water, with crowds seen surrounding water tankers in photographs and videos on social media.
The BJP’s Delhi unit has also stepped up protest against the situation, accusing the Delhi government of negligence and mismanagement that has led to the current situation.
On Sunday, Atishi had also written to Delhi Police chief, asking for inspection and protection of main water pipelines of the city after suspecting alleged attempts by unknown people to cause leakages in a pipeline.