New Delhi: Delhi is staring at huge water shortage in next one or two days with 60 per cent of water supply affected due to the Jat stir in neighbouring Haryana, prompting the city government to rationalise water supply and approach the Supreme Court for help.
Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that in the wake of Jat protesters breaking gates of Munak canal leading to shortage of water, Delhi government has decided to rationalise supply to utilise the stored water. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday directed Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to approach Supreme Court immediately seeking an urgent hearing over the crisis.
"60 per cent of water supply will be affected due to protest. Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants have been closed due to insufficient supply from the Munak canal. "Chandrawal, Okhla, Haiderpur, Bawana, Nangloi, Dwarka and Okhla water plants will also be affected," Mishra said.
The minister, who on Saturday held an emergency meeting over the water crisis, said that DJB has cancelled holidays of all its employees on Saturday and Sunday. "Munak canal is our main source of water supply to Delhi and if water doesn't come from the canal, the supply will significantly be affected across Delhi," he said.
A senior government official said that Kejriwal has directed DJB to approach the apex court immediately to seek an urgent hearing as water crises may prevail if supply is not made normal at the earliest. "Spoke to Haryana CM. He has assured that he will immediately send army to ensure safety of munak canal(sic)," Kejriwal tweeted," Kejriwal tweeted.
In another tweet, Kejriwal said, "Am worried about impact of Jat agitation on Delhi esp Delhi's water supply. Sought time from Rajnath ji". The Water Minister said that North, West and Central Delhi's areas are most affected due to the ongoing Jat protest, assuring Delhiites that they should not get panic.
"We have decided to rationalise the supply so that people's water demands are met. Areas in North, West and Central Delhi are major affected. "We have also set up a control room to monitor quality and quantity of the water being supplied by the DJB," Mishra also said.
He noted that in 2011, the Supreme Court had directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure supply of water and essential commodities to Delhi in the wake of the threats by Jats demanding quota in central jobs.
Fresh incidents of violence were on Saturday reported in Haryana as the Jat stir for quota intensified with protestors torching a railway station in Jind even as the Army conducted a flag march in two curfew-bound districts and used helicopters to reach parts of the blocked Rohtak district.
As the violence by Jat protestors demanding quota continued unabated, Chief Minister Manohar Khattar issued a fresh appeal to the people to maintain peace.
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