UP threatens to cut Delhi water supply

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
The UP government claims the sewerage Delhi pumps into the Yamuna daily is polluting the Ganga.

NEW DELHI: Akhilesh government claims that Capital is emptying its 18 drains into the Yamuna which pollutes Ganga further

AFTER the trouble over power supply, the prospect of a water crisis looms large over the National Capital as the Uttar Pradesh government has threatened to cut supply to Delhi, claiming the sewerage the city daily pumps into the Yamuna is polluting the Ganga.

The news come at a time when the Arvind Kejriwal- led Aam Aadmi Party government is already facing the battle on the power front as it has put the power discoms on notice for ensuring uninterrupted supply in Delhi.

Also, the threat from the neighbouring state will put pressure on the Kejriwal governments plan to provide free 700 litres of water to every household in Delhi. Interestingly, the letter comes close on the heels of Kejriwal mentioning Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav a list of corrupt politicians.

UP issues notice

Singh said the Uttar Pradesh government has issued a notice to Delhi on February 7, demanding that the discharge of the drains should be first treated and, then, released in the Yamuna. The Uttar Pradesh government has alleged that Delhi empties its 18 drains into the Yamuna, which later converges with the Ganga and pollutes it.

Singh warned if adequate steps were not taken, the daily quota of 400 cusecs of water allocated for Delhi would be diverted to Agra and Mathura — two cities which are already reeling under water crisis.

The issue was also discussed with previous Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit,

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the UP minister said, adding that the Uttar Pradesh governments proposal to the Centre for cleaning of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Gomti would require at least 30,000 crore.

Besides the Yamuna, the other major source for meeting Delhis water demand the Ravi and the Beas which supply around 495 cusecs of water followed 500 cusecs from the Ganga. Water from Uttar Pradesh comes from the upper Ganga canal. Experts say the water demand of Delhi is likely to reach 1,380 MGD ( million gallons per day) by 2021 even though the current shortfall in demand and supply is around 235 MGD. The threat from the Uttar Pradesh government also has political implications as the AAP confrontation over Jan Yamuna grave action rivers major Political that issue The after demanded Yadav- government farmers supplying If contamination does not end, the UP government will stop 400 cusecs of water it supplies to Delhi

AAP is currently engaged in confrontation with the Centre over the implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Pollution of Yamuna and Ganga has been a grave problem for years and the action plans to cleanse the rivers have failed to bring any major change.

Political experts pointed out that water is a major political issue in western Uttar Pradesh.

The issue has gained prominence after the Bharatiya Kisan Union demanded that the Akhilesh Yadav- led Samajwadi Party government should provide water to farmers for irrigation rather than supplying it to Delhi.
 
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