L-G ‘misrepresenting facts’, says AAP after Saxena meets Delhi Ministers on water crisis

Saxena meets Atishi, Bharadwaj to discuss water shortage; however, Raj Niwas, AAP share different versions about what was discussed; Bharadwaj dares L-G to release video recording of the meet

Residents of Sanjay Camp carrying containers full of drinking water to their homes on Monday. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Delhi Water Minister Atishi and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj met Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena at his office on Monday to discuss the prevailing water crisis in the city.

However, after their meeting, the Ministers and the L-G issued statements with different versions of what was discussed between them. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) went on to accuse Mr. Saxena of “misrepresenting” facts and challenged him to release the video recording of the meeting.

When reached for comment, Raj Niwas did not respond.

Ms. Atishi has insisted that Delhi is facing the crisis due to the Haryana government not releasing the city’s share of water in the Yamuna river through the Munak canal. On the other hand, Mr. Saxena has called the government “irresponsible” and blamed it for not repairing “dilapidated pipelines” that he said cause 40% of the supplied water to be wasted.

Soon after the meeting on Monday, in which the Chief Secretary and Delhi Jal Board CEO were also present, Ms. Atishi said the L-G had assured them that he would talk to the Haryana government to ensure that the national capital’s share of 1,050 cusecs water would be released into the Munak canal.

“Seven water treatment plants in Delhi depend on the Munak canal for water. The L-G has assured us that he will talk to the Haryana government,” she said.

However, Raj Niwas in a statement said Mr. Saxena had assured the Ministers that he will take up the matter of water supply with Haryana and request it to provide “extra water on humanitarian grounds”.

The statement added that a team of Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) officials, along with senior officials from the governments of Delhi and Haryana, had checked the supply of water at Munak canal on Sunday and found the supply from Haryana to be “sufficient”. The UYRB is an inter-State body established to regulate the allocation and management of the water resources of the upper Yamuna basin.

“The L-G pointed out that even if Haryana were to give additional water, Delhi did not have enough water treatment plants and capacity to treat the water and supply it to the people of Delhi,” it added.