Haryana not releasing Delhi’s share of water since May 1: Minister
Amidst soaring temperatures and an acute water shortage, Delhi Water minister Atishi announced that Haryana has ceased releasing Yamuna water to Delhi since May 1. This has caused a significant drop in water levels, from 674.5 feet on May 1 to 669.8 feet on Monday.
Atishi highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “For the last few weeks, ever since May started, Haryana has stopped releasing water for Delhi. The level of the Yamuna river has been continuously falling in Delhi since May 1.” She explained that in the corresponding period last year, a minimum water level of 674.5 feet was maintained at the Wazirabad pond, which is crucial for Delhi’s water supply.
Providing a timeline of the water level decline, Atishi noted, “On May 1, Yamuna’s water level was 674.5 feet at Wazirabad. By May 8, it came down to 672 feet, and continued to fall, reaching 671 feet by May 20, 670.2 feet by May 24, and today, it stands at 669.8 feet.”
As a result, Delhi’s water treatment plants are receiving less raw water, leading to a decrease in treated water supplied to the city. To address the shortfall, the Delhi government has doubled the running time of bore wells and increased the number of water tankers.
Starting Monday, water supply in areas that receive water twice a day will be reduced to once a day. The saved water will be redirected to water-deficient
areas. “From Monday, in many parts of Delhi, where water supply is available twice a day, it will be reduced to a single time. The water that will be saved will be provided to water-deficient areas,” Atishi stated.
Acknowledging the inconvenience, Atishi appealed for public cooperation, urging residents to think beyond their immediate needs. “I know that where water is being supplied twice a day, people will be troubled by cutting off the water supply once a day, but I appeal to all the people of Delhi that we should not think only about ourselves, we should think about all the people of Delhi,” she said.
Atishi also called on residents to conserve water and avoid wasteful practices such as washing vehicles with open pipes. “My appeal to everyone is that you should not wash vehicles. If this public appeal does not work in the next one or two days, then it is possible that we may have to impose a challan on excess use of water,” she warned.
She stressed the importance of responsible water use, especially in the current crisis, saying, “Delhi is currently going through acute heat waves and Haryana is releasing very little amount of water in Delhi at this time, so it is the responsibility of all Delhiites that we come together and solve this problem together.”
The Delhi government continues to monitor the situation closely and urges all residents to contribute to the collective effort of managing the water crisis.