With the water crisis in Delhi worsening, Water Minister Atishi on Sunday appealed to the Delhi Police Commissioner to deploy personnel for patrolling and protecting major pipelines. In a letter to Commissioner Sanjay Arora, she requested heightened security around the city’s pipelines for the next 15 days.
Atishi, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, noted that due to reduced water flow from the Yamuna, water production has dropped by approximately 70 million gallons per day (MGD), leading to shortages across many parts of Delhi.
Atishi’s Letter
“In this situation, every drop of water becomes precious. Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has patrolling teams for our main water distribution network that carries raw water to the Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) and then from our WTPs to our main underground reservoirs in different parts of the city. In addition, we have deployed teams under the supervision of ADMs to support in this work,” she said.
मैंने दिल्ली पुलिस कमिश्नर को पत्र लिख कर आग्रह किया है कि दिल्ली के मेन वाटर पाइपलाइन नेटवर्क को पुलिस द्वारा सुरक्षा दी जाये। https://t.co/ktVOzu943y pic.twitter.com/u4P7b1P7f2
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) June 16, 2024
The Minister reported that DJB teams discovered deliberate damage to some water supply pipelines. “Yesterday our ground patrolling team reported a major leakage in our South Delhi Rising Mains, the main water pipeline that carries water from Sonia Vihar WTP to South Delhi. This was near the DTL substation in Garhi Medhu. Our patrolling team found that several large 375 mm bolts and one 12-inch bolt had been cut from the pipeline causing the leakage. The fact that several large bolts had been cut seems to indicate foul play and sabotage,” she said.
Atishi stated that while the DJB team repaired the pipeline, the maintenance led to a significant interruption in water supply, worsening the crisis.
“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,” she added.
Three Injured in Water Dispute in Dwarka
Delhi police reported receiving two PCR calls on Sunday about a dispute over filling water from a common tap in Dwarka district. “Three people were injured in this dispute and were shifted to Indira Gandhi Hospital. There is no communal angle. Two cross-cases were registered on the statement of both parties. Investigation underway,” the police said.
AAP Leaders at Jal Shakti Minister’s House
#WATCH | AAP MLA Dilip Pandey says “We came here to meet Minister CR Patil to find a solution for the issue of water crisis in Delhi. We got to know that he is not here and we will not be able to meet him today. If the Jal Shakti Minister does interstate coordination, the issue… pic.twitter.com/w3TyI5irzU
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024
AAP MLAs attempted to meet Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to discuss the water crisis. “We came here to meet Minister CR Patil to find a solution for the issue of water crisis in Delhi. We got to know that he is not here and we will not be able to meet him today. If the Jal Shakti Minister does interstate coordination, the issue of water shortage will be reduced,” said AAP MLA Dilip Pandey.
BJP, Congress Hold ‘Matka Phod’ Protests
#WATCH | Delhi: On the water shortage in Delhi, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj says, “… This is not a natural problem, it has been created by the AAP. Delhi has sufficient water, and Haryana is releasing more water than agreed upon. In just 10 years, AAP has taken Delhi Jal Board from a… pic.twitter.com/Tn6212uN2E
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024
The BJP organized a ‘matka-phod’ protest against the AAP government over Delhi’s water shortage. BJP MP from New Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj, participated along with other senior party leaders. “This is not a natural problem, it has been created by the AAP. Delhi has sufficient water, and Haryana is releasing more water than agreed upon. In just 10 years, AAP has taken Delhi Jal Board from a profit of Rs 600 crores in 2013 to a loss of Rs 73000 crores in 2024,” Swaraj said.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, who also participated in the protest, stated, “If there is anyone responsible for the water shortage in Delhi, it is CM Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP government… The water shortage in Delhi is not natural. Delhi has requisite water reserves and Haryana is giving water in quantities more than it is bound to… Water theft and wastage is the basic reason why Delhi is short of water.”
The Delhi Congress, led by its chief Devender Yadav, held similar protests across the city. Yadav demanded a special assembly session to address the issue, accusing both the BJP and AAP governments of neglecting the water crisis while blaming each other.
Delhi BJP Claims AAP Leaders’ Collusion in Illegal Water Connections
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused AAP leaders, including its MLAs and ministers, of conspiring to benefit financially while citizens suffer. Citing an incident in Buddha Vihar, Inder Puri, he alleged that AAP officials were involved in providing illegal water connections for Rs 35,000 each without proper documentation or meters, later attaching them to DJB pipelines.
Sachdeva suggested this was not a case of rogue elements but a coordinated effort with political support, questioning Water Minister Atishi: “If those illegal connections are still running, why were they not legalised?” He asserted that this was done to divert illegal funds to private pockets instead of the government.
