Delhi Cabinet Ministers on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to resolve the water crisis in the Capital by ensuring that the city receives its “rightful share” of the Yamuna water from BJP-ruled Haryana.
The letter came on the day Delhi Water Minister Atishi’s indefinite fast over the issue entered its fourth day, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying doctors have advised to admit her to a hospital due to her deteriorating health.
The Minister’s fast also received support from AAP’s INDIA bloc partner Trinamool Congress (TMC) as its Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra and Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose met Ms. Atishi at the protest site in Bhogal.
The meeting came a day after their alliance partner Congress accused Ms. Atishi of indulging in “political showmanship” instead of resolving the crisis.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva took a swipe at AAP over the Cabinet Minister’s meeting at the protest site, saying the party is now “looking for excuses” to end the protest.
It was at the protest site that the Delhi Ministers decided to write to the PM.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai told reporters they told the PM that his party’s Haryana government is stopping the release of the city’s “rightful share” of the Yamuna water from the Hathnikund barrage.
Ms. Atishi had on Sunday alleged that the neighbouring State has “closed” gates of the barrage from where water is released for the Capital.
The barrage falls in Haryana’s Yamunanagar district and it is the starting point of the Western Yamuna canal network. The Munak canal, which supplies the river water to the Capital, is part of the network.
Ms. Atishi has repeatedly accused Haryana of not releasing Delhi’s share of the Yamuna water into the Munak canal, a charge denied by the neighbouring State.
‘Act to prevent chaos’
The letter read that the city is supplied with 1,005 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from various channels, of which 613 MGD comes from Haryana.
“For the past many weeks, Delhi is getting around 100 MGD less water [from Haryana],” the letter said.
“It has become very important now that water should come from Haryana, otherwise, there will be chaos in Delhi. Delhi needs its rightful share of water, for which our Water Minister Atishi ji has been on hunger strike since June 21. We request you to give priority to this problem and find a solution as soon as possible,” the Delhi Ministers added.
Meanwhile, the ruling AAP said Ms. Atishi’s health has been affected because of the strike but she will continue with it until Delhi’s water needs are met.
“Before sitting on the hunger strike on June 21, her body weight was 65.8 kg, which has come down to 63.6 kg on the fourth day of the hunger strike. Her blood pressure and sugar levels have also seen a drop,” the party said in a statement.
Reacting to it, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said AAP has trapped itself in the web of its own indefinite satyagraha. “The today’s meeting of the Delhi Ministers at the air-conditioned protest site clearly indicates that they are now looking for excuses to end the indefinite satyagraha,” he said.
