Amid the ongoing water crisis in the national capital, Delhi Water Minister Atishi, on Wednesday, threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 21 if the issue is not resolved within a couple of days. Atishi said Delhi is grappling with a water crisis since Haryana is not releasing the capital’s share of water.
She urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in to solve the ongoing issue which caused difficulties for common people in the city as Delhi is reeling under a shortage of water.
“Today I have written a letter to the Prime Minister saying that 28 lakh people in Delhi are not getting water. I have requested that he should help provide water as soon as possible…If the people of Delhi do not get their rightful share of water by the 21st, then I will be forced to do a Satyagraha,” she said.
“Yesterday, Haryana released 513 MGD of water to Delhi as against 613 MGD. One MGD of water is for 28,500 people. This means that water was not released for over 28 lakh people,” she added.
The minister said people are not only battling heatwave conditions but also water shortages. Atishi said they have written multiple letters to the Haryana government to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, along with other party workers, staged a protest outside Delhi Jal Board Office over the water crisis in the national capital. “Our protest is in regards to water (supply). The people of Delhi are yearning for every drop of water and AAP MLAs and ministers are selling water. If this theft and black marketing stops, Delhi can get water,” Sachdeva said.
He slammed Atishi, saying she was lying. “Yesterday’s Haryana government data shows that Delhi has received more water than the fixed amount, but if Aam Aadmi Party leaders and MLAs stop colluding with tanker mafias and stop corruption, the water problem in Delhi will end,” he added.
“If no water is received, how will the water treatment plants work? We appeal to Haryana that the people in Delhi are worried and they should release water in Yamuna river because unless they release water in Yamuna, there will be continuous water shortage in Delhi,” Atishi lamented.