Atishi writes to CMs of UP, Haryana for additional water

Delhi minister Atishi has reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Haryana’s Acting Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, requesting an additional water supply for the national capital for a month due to an ongoing water crisis.

Atishi emphasized that Delhi is facing an unprecedented water shortage this year, with demand surging significantly amidst a heatwave.

“With temperatures nearing 50 degrees Celsius, Delhi’s water resources are severely strained. To address this crisis, we urgently need Haryana to release additional water into the Yamuna River as soon as possible,” she stated in her letter to the Haryana CM on May 31.

She noted that the water level at the Wazirabad barrage is currently at 670.3 feet, below the normal level of 674.50 feet.

“This reduction has negatively impacted the water production capacity of our treatment plants. To meet the needs of Delhi residents, we urgently need more water in the Yamuna,” the letter said.

In her letter to the UP CM, Atishi, who oversees the water portfolio, highlighted the severity of the heatwave and the need for support from all sources.

“Sir, through this letter, I appeal to you to kindly consider our request and provide additional water to Delhi for the next month so that residents can comfortably get through this peak summer period. The Delhi government and its people eagerly await a positive response,” the letter added.

However, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused Atishi of “playing politics under the guise of a water crisis.”

He claimed there is no raw water shortage in Delhi, as both Haryana and Uttarakhand are providing excess water daily, which can be verified from Delhi Jal Board records.

Sachdeva urged Atishi to stop writing “politically motivated letters” to the BJP-ruled states’ CMs and instead focus on cleaning silt from water ponds and plants, as well as preventing water wastage and theft to resolve Delhi’s water crisis.