Will ensure 24-hour water supply in next five years, says Delhi CM Kejriwal

In Delhi, in 70 years, only 58% of the households had access to water

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the AAP government will ensure 24-hour water supply to the people in the national capital in the next five years, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted twice this week the issue of lack of clean drinking water.

Kejriwal said that it would be clean water and people would be able to drink directly from their taps. He was speaking during an event at Kishangarh here to inaugurate the underground reservoir with a capacity of 18 lakh litres.

"I have provided water in every household of Delhi in the last five years by laying pipelines. We have a plan for the next five years," he said.

The statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the AAP government over the issue. Earlier in the day, Modi said there is dissatisfaction among people in the national capital over "unclean" drinking water, which, he added is a worrisome issue.

On Sunday, the PM had said the AAP government had ignored the national capital's biggest problem which is lack of clean drinking water. Assembly elections are due early next year in the city, where the AAP, BJP and Congress are in a triangular fight.

"We will ensure water services for 24 hours to the entire Delhi in the next five years," Kejriwal was quoted as saying at the event in a statement.

In Delhi, in 70 years, only 58 per cent of the households had access to water, but the AAP government increased it to 93 per cent in just five years, the chief minister said.

"The governments of the opposing parties could not provide water in Delhi in 70 years. It was not that they could not give.

"In the last five years, we have laid pipeline, UGR and tanks at war level in Delhi," the statement quoted the CM as saying.