Water crisis: Police starts patrol along Munak canal in Delhi, Atishi inspects pipeline network

Water Crisis: Police began patrolling the Munak canal area on Thursday to curb the activities of tanker mafia, while Delhi minister Atishi inspected a pipeline network supplying water to South Delhi residents amid the worsening water crisis.

A senior officer said that police teams have established pickets and commenced patrolling the 15-kilometre stretch of the canal along the Haryana border, which supplies water to the national capital.

The canal enters Delhi from Bawana and reaches the Haiderpur Treatment Plant. Teams from Bawana, Narela Industrial Area, Shahbad Dairy, and Samai Pur Badali police stations are responsible for patrolling the Munak Canal and its vicinity.

“Police personnel have been instructed to prevent anyone from extracting water from the canal into their tankers,” the officer said.

On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena directed the Delhi Police chief to maintain a strict vigil along the Munak canal to prevent water theft and requested an action report within the week.

Meanwhile, Delhi Water Minister Atishi, accompanied by senior officials from the Delhi Jal Board and Revenue Department, inspected the South Delhi Mains pipeline network that supplies water from the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant to millions in South Delhi, according to a post on ‘X’.

The plight of Delhiites, enduring unprecedented high summer heat, has been exacerbated by a severe water shortage.

The Delhi government is ensuring that additional district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates patrol the city to prevent any water wastage due to leakage from the main pipelines, Atishi mentioned in her post.

https://x.com/AtishiAAP/status/1801146934956028310?t=Pr_M7w4q2GQF7B9JlMNj_Q&s=19

Delhi is receiving less water, and production at water treatment plants has decreased. In this situation, water wastage will not be tolerated, she emphasised.

During the inspection, Atishi said that water production in Delhi has dropped by 40 MGD, and unless Haryana releases more water through the Yamuna, the shortfall cannot be addressed.  (With inputs from PTI)