Delhi is experiencing a severe water crisis. Water Minister Atishi from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has asked for police protection for the city’s water pipelines. She claims that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) found signs of sabotage at several locations. In a letter to the police commissioner, Atishi requested police to guard the major pipelines for 15 days. She fears that any tampering could worsen the water shortage.
She states “I am writing to request deployment of police personnel to patrol and protect our major pipelines for the next 15 days. This would be very important for putting a stop to miscreants or people with ulterior motives from tampering with our water pipelines which have now become Delhi’s lifelines. At this juncture any foul play and sabotage will worsen the already difficult water shortage being faced by the people of Delhi,”
The DJB patrolling team reported damage to pipelines in South Delhi. They discovered that bolts had been cut from the main pipeline, causing significant water leakage. Atishi believes this is a deliberate act of sabotage.
On the other side, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is holding protests against the AAP government. BJP leader Kamaljeet Sehrawat criticized the Delhi government for the water shortage. She said residents are struggling to get water and have to rely on expensive private tankers. Sehrawat accused the Delhi government of mismanaging the water supply and urged Atishi to address the issues in her department.
