The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi facing water shortage

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Wednesday, Mar 26, 2008
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New Delhi

Delhi facing water shortage

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Haryana has withheld Capital’s share of the Yamuna again

Water production at Chandrawal and Wazirabad treatment plants has come down by 20 per cent
Officials say the rate at which the water level is falling, it can spell disaster for the city

NEW DELHI: After a short-lived reprieve, Delhi is back to facing a shortage of water. The production of water at two water treatment plants in the city has been reduced as neighbouring Haryana has again withheld Delhi’s share of the Yamuna waters.

The reduction in supply meant for the city has led to a dip in the pond level at Wazirabad, which has fallen from 674.5 feet to 672.3 feet and is still declining.

According to sources in the Delhi Jal Board, Haryana reduced the water supply meant for Delhi about three days ago and consequently the production of water at Chandrawal and Wazirabad water treatment plants has come down by 20 per cent.

“Ignoring the repeated requests from the Jal Board and flouting the directions of the Central Water Commission and the Upper Yamuna River Board, Haryana has again tampered with the quantum of water that Delhi is scheduled to receive from the Yamuna. The pond level at Wazirabad has already fallen to 672.3 feet and continues to fall,” said a DJB source.

The official said the rate at which the level was falling, it can spell disaster for the city. With the temperatures likely to surge, a dip in water production would mean a severe shortage of water in the city.

Officials upset

Officials at the water utility are also upset by the question raised by Haryana over the credit that Delhi gets for reverse flow into the Yamuna.

“For ensuring reverse flow into the river, Delhi gets credit of 495 cusecs of water. Haryana has raised objections to this on the ground that the water is unsuitable for use and full of effluents. If this 495 cusecs is stopped, at least 50-60 lakh people in the city will be affected adversely,” said a source.

Many reminders

Haryana’s intransigence has left the water utility baffled. “This past month alone there have been innumerable reminders to Haryana to adhere to the Supreme Court directions on water sharing. Not only is Haryana not respecting the terms and conditions of the memorandum of understanding signed by it in 1994, it is acting in contravention to the court orders,” said sources.

If the water levels are not restored, water production in the city’s water treatment plants would be further reduced. “Even when Haryana restored the supply for a short while we were not able to run the plants to their full capacity. With this latest break, we are sure to face more problems in the days to come when the demand for water will rise,” sources pointed out.

After Haryana reduced the supply by 100 cusecs from February 15 and following the recurrent disruption in water supply, Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit had written to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention and urging him to direct Haryana to ensure uninterrupted supply.

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