Water Minister Atishi on Wednesday announced her decision to go on an indefinite fast from June 21 if the city does not receive its rightful share of water from Haryana. She wrote a letter addressed to PM Modi, urging him to resolve the water issue. “If by June 21, the people of Delhi do not get their rightful share of water, I will be forced to start a ‘Satyagraha’ and sit on an indefinite fast,” read the letter.
The suffering of the people of Delhi has crossed all limits, and it is no longer possible for me to bear their suffering, she said.
Addressing the media, Atishi detailed the critical water shortage plaguing Delhi. “The capital city receives 613 MGD (million gallons per day) from Haryana via the Yamuna, but on June 18 it received only 513 MGD,” she said. This shortfall of 100 MGD has left approximately 28 lakh people in Delhi without adequate water supply, exacerbating their suffering amid the scorching summer heat.
The minister emphasised the disproportionate water allocation between Delhi and Haryana. Despite both states having a population of around 3 crores, Delhi’s water share stands at 1,050 MGD, while Haryana enjoys a much higher allocation of 6,500 MGD. “Even if Haryana provides 100 MGD to Delhi, it would only be 1.5% of its total allocation,” she said.
Talking about the steps taken by the Delhi Government to resolve the issue, the minister highlighted the various efforts made to secure water for Delhi. “The people of Delhi are very troubled, and we have made every possible effort to solve this problem,” she said.
“I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Haryana, but Haryana still did not provide the water. I also spoke to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, who said he is ready to supply water, but that water has to pass through Haryana. However, Haryana refused to allow Himachal’s water to reach Delhi,” she added.
“I went to the Supreme Court, pleading that Delhi needs this 100 MGD of water because 28 lakh people are currently not receiving water. The Supreme Court acknowledged the water crisis in Delhi, but even then, the Haryana government did not provide the water. Our MLAs attempted to meet with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, but he did not agree to meet them. Yesterday, senior officials of the Delhi government met with Haryana government officers to request water for the 28 lakh people of Delhi, but Haryana refused,” Atishi stated.