Haryana depriving Delhi people's rights by obstructing water supply: Jain

Delhi Water Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday accused the Haryana government of depriving the capital's people of their rights by obstructing water supply in the Yamuna river.

"The water level in the Wazirabad barrage has been severely depleted due to the Haryana government's insufficient water supply. This must be understood in light of the fact that a one foot drop in the Yamuna's water level causes a water scarcity in Delhi, as the Yamuna provides the majority of the city's drinking water," he said during a visit to the barrage.

He said that the need for water in Delhi has increased as the city's population has grown.

Wazirabad and Chandrawal Water Treatment Plants provide a significant percentage of the supply.

"Haryana has withheld the share of water that belongs to Delhi, causing the Yamuna to reach 669 feet. As a result of Haryana's obstruction in the continuous supply of water, Delhiites are not getting their fair share of water, which is their fundamental right," Jain said.

Underlining the extent of the water crisis in the city, he said: "We have appealed to the Haryana government, requesting that they come here and assess the state of the Yamuna. We are not expecting the Haryana government to provide water in proportion to the 2022 population of Delhi, but at the very least they need to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling."

Jain said that at least Haryana government should provide water on a humanitarian basis so that the people of Delhi have adequate drinking water in this hot weather.

--IANS

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