Delhi, grappling with a water shortage, now looks to the appeal made by Water Minister Aatishi. Following the Supreme Court's postpone in decision-making, Minister Aatishi released data highlighting efforts to reduce transmission losses of water supplied from Haryana via Wazirabad and unplanned Delhi branches from 30% to just 5%, thanks to a 500 crore expenditure by Delhi Water Board for CLC construction.
Minister Aatishi highlighted the Government's steps taken in the last 9 years to replace 3500 kilometers of leaking pipelines in Delhi. Ensuring water supply to areas previously lacking pipelines, the city has managed to curb illegal tapping by laying out a staggering 73,000 kilometers of new pipes.
Minister Aatishi's Appeal to Delhites
Minister Aatishi mentioned the installation of 3285 bulk flow meters across Delhi to measure the water flow meticulously. Notably, recent water audits show international standards are exceeded in terms of leakage, which is minimal from water treatment plants to distribution points.
Dispelling rumors of widespread leaks in pipelines, Minister Aatishi shared that water flows are closely monitored by metering and patrolling teams setup by Delhi Water Board, guaranteeing quick fixes to any significant leaks usually within 12 hours.
Emphasizing the enforcement teams deployed to prevent water wastage, Minister Aatishi acknowledged the issuance of 1323 challans for wasteful activities and the disconnection of 179 illegal connections over the past 10 days.
Preventing Water Waste
To further address water leakage, a command and control center reviews all flow meter data, and a dedicated leak detection cell has, over the past 6 months, identified and repaired over 2000 pipeline leaks.
The Water Minister stressed that the Delhi Government is taking every measure necessary to prevent water wastage, pointing out the genuine scarcity of water in the city. Despite the capabilities of Delhi's treatment plants and rain wells, daily production has dropped from 1000-1005 MGD to 951 MGD within a week, affecting many regions in the capital.
Minister Aatishi shared the troubling downward trend of water production, dropping from 1002 MGD on June 6 to 993 MGD and further to 973 MGD and 951 MGD on subsequent dates — a clear indication of the increasing insufficiency of water supply.
Many Figures Presented Before the Supreme Court
Minister Aatishi stated that this data has been placed before the Supreme Court, which believes it to be a technical issue to be resolved by the Upper Yamuna River Board. Following Supreme Court instructions, the Board has been directed to convene and make a swift decision on the matter.
Aatishi urged the people of Delhi to act responsibly with water usage until the River Board's decision is made, anticipated within the next 2-3 days, emphasizing the urgent need for collaboration in combating this water crisis. The minister encouraged reporting any noticed leaks to the Delhi Water Board's social media accounts.
