Water crisis continues in Delhi

New Delhi: Several areas of the national capital continued to be hit by acute water shortage on Wednesday, with the normal water supply from Munak canal in Haryana yet to be restored.

The Munak canal, the only source of water for west Delhi and Dwarka, was damaged during the Jat quota stir. Residents of these areas rued the water crisis in their areas. 

Grappling with a severe water shortage, residents in Dwarka said they were compelled to buy mineral water at exorbitant prices, with a bottle worth Rs.20 costing as much as Rs.50. 

"Taps ran dry at my house today (Wednesday) and Delhi Jal Board is not able to provide us adequate water through tankers. Residents in the locality are now resorting to buy mineral water. Shopkeepers are selling the water bottles at very high rates," Shweta Dutt, a resident of DDA (Self Finance Scheme) flats in Dwarka sector-22, told IANS.

Stating that the tanker mafia's business had been jolted since the Arvind Kejriwal government came to power as the water supply improved in Dwarka, she said: "The current water crisis might bring the tanker mafia back in business, as people are now opting for private water tankers due to current water shortage." 

"There is no piped water supply at my house. Water tankers which are being sent to the locality are not able to address the problem as they provide only two or three buckets of water," Smita Pandey, a housewife in Dwarka sector-22 told IANS.

Residents in west Delhi said the water is very dirty and not usable.

"We received water supply only for 10 to 15 minutes in the morning. The water which we got was dirty and unfit to use. I hope this water crisis gets solved soon," Pramila Mishra, a resident of Dwarka Mor told IANS.

Delhi's Water Minister Kapil Mishra said more water tankers were rushed to these places to mitigate water problem in the areas. 

"More tankers have been diverted to Dwarka and Janakpuri. Limited supply in central and some parts of north Delhi," Mishra tweeted. 

He said partial water supply was started in some parts of north and central Delhi.

In a statement, the Delhi government admitted some parts of Dwarka, Rohini and in north Delhi were yet to receive water. 

The city government said 419 trips of the water tankers have already been done in Dwarka and west Delhi area by 1 pm in the light of water problem.

"By evening the number of the trips of water tankers should reach 900. This will partially take care of the problem caused by the non-working of Dwarka plant," it added.