As Delhi grapples with a severe water crisis, residents in various parts of the national capital were seen in long queues on Thursday, waiting to fetch water from tankers.
Morning visuals showed people from Okhla Industrial Area Phase 2 holding cans and buckets, crowding around water tankers. Amid soaring temperatures, these scenes have become a daily occurrence in many areas of the capital since the start of the summer season this year.
Malti Devi, a resident from Okhla, described her plight: “We face a lot of problems related to water. Youngsters have difficulty in going to work. No one has come to meet us. The water tanker comes, but there are fights among each other. Only those who get the pipe first can fill water for themselves.”
Another resident, Bhati, expressed hope that the government will take action: “As soon as the tanker comes, it is so crowded that most of us don’t get water at all. We hope the government does something. We are facing a lot of problems.”
Amid a political tug-of-war between the BJP and the AAP over the water crisis in the national capital, Aam Aadmi Party Minister Atishi said on Wednesday that if Delhi does not get its “rightful” share of water by June 21, she will be forced to do a ‘Satyagraha’.
“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 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,” Atishi stated in a press conference.
“Due to the scorching heat, the water problem in Delhi has also increased. Today, Delhiites need more water. The total supply of water in Delhi is 1050 MGD, out of which 613 MGD comes from Haryana, but Haryana is not giving the full share of water to Delhi,” she alleged further.
The Delhi Minister also claimed that due to the shortage of water released from Haryana, 28 lakh people are receiving less water in Delhi. “Haryana gave only 513 MGD of water to Delhi yesterday. Due to this, Delhi is short of 100 MGD of water today. As a result, about 28 lakh people are getting less water. The people of Delhi are troubled. We have made all efforts to solve this problem. We have spoken to the Chief Minister of Haryana, but the BJP government of Haryana is not giving Delhi its share of water,” Atishi said.
As the water crisis continues, residents hope for a swift resolution to their daily struggles and look to the government for immediate action. (ANI)