The Delhi government has approached the Centre and the Supreme Court to request additional water supplies from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh due to a severe water shortage in the national capital. This crisis coincides with Delhi’s temperature nearing the 50 degrees Celsius mark.
In its petition to the Supreme Court, the Delhi government emphasized the increased need for water due to the extreme heat. “Delhi’s need for water has increased in the scorching heat. It is everyone’s responsibility to fulfill the needs of the country’s capital,” the petition stated.
Delhi Minister Atishi also addressed the Centre, claiming that Haryana has not been releasing the required amount of water. “Delhi is heavily dependent on water from the Yamuna river for its day-to-day demand for water. However, since the last few days, there has been a drastic dip in the water levels at the Wazirabad Barrage as Haryana is not releasing the required amount of water in the Yamuna river,” Atishi wrote to Union Water Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. She also highlighted that the soaring temperatures have further intensified the demand for water.
The water shortage has severely impacted several areas in Delhi, including Sanjay Camp in Chanakyapuri and Geeta Colony. Residents are enduring long waits in intense heat, hoping to fill at least one bucket from water tankers that often fail to meet the demand.
The current water crisis comes as Delhi’s maximum temperature approaches 50 degrees Celsius, with the minimum temperature at nearly 30 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees above normal. The weather office has predicted that heatwave conditions will persist for the next few days, advising people to minimize heat exposure and stay hydrated.
Sources By Agencies