With the water supply crisis worsening in Delhi, police officials inspected the Jal Board pipelines in the Yamuna Khadar area of northeast Delhi on Sunday and found no signs of leakage. Assistant Sub-Inspector Lokendra Sirohi stated, "There is no leakage here. If there is any leakage, we will inform the Jal Board and our control room."
This inspection follows a letter from Delhi Minister Atishi to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, requesting police deployment to protect major pipelines in the city.
Atishi emphasised the need to prevent tampering with water pipelines, which are crucial to the city's water supply. She warned that any foul play or sabotage would exacerbate the already severe water shortage in Delhi.
Atishi's letter highlighted the importance of police patrolling to safeguard the water distribution network. She noted that the Delhi Jal Board has patrolling teams monitoring the main water distribution lines, which carry raw water to Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) and then distribute treated water to various parts of the city. Additionally, teams under the supervision of ADMs are supporting this effort.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by a recent incident reported by Delhi Water Minister Atishi. The ground patrolling team discovered a major leakage in the South Delhi Rising Mains, a crucial pipeline carrying water from the Sonia Vihar WTP to South Delhi.
Near the DTL substation in Garhi Medhu, the team found that several large bolts had been cut, causing significant leakage. This damage indicated potential foul play and sabotage.
To address this issue, the maintenance team worked for six hours to repair the leakage, during which time water pumping had to be halted. Consequently, 20 million gallons of water (MGD) were not pumped, leading to a 25% water shortage in South Delhi.
Atishi's letter requested the deployment of police personnel to protect the major pipelines for the next 15 days, stressing that any further tampering could worsen the water crisis in the city.
Meanwhile, as the water crisis escalated amid an intense heatwave, AAP MLAs criticized Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil for not intervening in the matter. The BJP, on the other hand, held a 'matka-phod' protest against the Arvind Kejriwal government to highlight the water shortage in Delhi.
AAP MLAs visited the residence of Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil at BD Marg, seeking his intervention. However, they were unable to meet him as he was not available at his residence.
AAP MLA Rakhi Birla expressed disappointment, saying, "It is unfortunate that we gave a letter to Minister CR Patil yesterday and today our delegation visited his residence to meet him but we are informed that he is not at his residence. We request that the minister pay attention to the issue of water shortages in Delhi."
Another AAP MLA, Rajendra Pal Gautam, added, "Minister CR Patil is aware of the water shortage in Delhi. He should coordinate with the Delhi government to solve this issue. We went to the court and wrote to the Union government to intervene in this matter."
The situation remains critical as the city grapples with the water supply crisis amid sweltering heat, and the need for immediate action to protect the water infrastructure is paramount.
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