Water wars have begun: HC on hijack of water tanks in Dwarka

"This is the beginning of water wars. In some years the situation will worsen," the Delhi High Court today observed, while voicing concern over the recent incidents of DDA water tanks being "hijacked" by mobs from areas adjoining Dwarka here.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul made the observation while hearing a matter pertaining to water shortage in Dwarka in which it had on August 6 directed Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to make operational by September 10 about 10 bore-wells so the residents of the area will get some relief.
An association for Dwarka residents informed the court about the instances of DDA main water tanks there being hijacked in the last week of August by a mobs armed with sticks.

Today, the bench was informed by DDA that out of the 10, eight bore-wells have been made functional bringing to 14 the number of operational tube-wells there.
The authority also informed the bench that remaining two could not be commissioned due to technical difficulties which would be sorted out in two weeks.
The court, however, was not satisfied with DDAs status report and directed it to file a fresh one within two weeks indicating location of all the bore-wells in Dwarka with pictures to show whether they are connected to the main water supply or being used to fill tankers.

The court also observed that installing bore-wells is a temporary measure and queried DDA on what it is doing to find a permanent solution to the problem.
DDA, in response, said it is waiting for water from DJB, which on its part said that its main water pipeline to supply water to Dwarka and adjoining areas is being held up due to some cases filed in the high court by people claiming that the pipeline is running through their lands.