Delhi CM Rekha Gupta holds review meeting on water supply, issues several directions to ensure drinking water supply
New Delhi, May 30
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the Delhi government is working on a war footing to deliver adequate drinking water to every citizen of the capital. The government is paying equal attention to immediate relief measures as well as long-term solutions so that the water crisis situation can be permanently controlled in the future.
According to the chief minister's office, to tackle the water-related challenges arising due to the scorching heat, an assurance has been given by Haryana to maintain a minimum of 1000 cusecs of water supply through the Munak Canal, and efforts are being made to provide relief to the people through more than 980 tankers and over 6,000 daily trips.
Regarding this issue, the Chief Minister on Saturday conducted a detailed review of the drinking water challenges and water supply situation arising in the capital through video conferencing from the Chief Minister Seva Sadan.
After the meeting, the Chief Minister informed that due to the water availability being affected near Wazirabad in the Yamuna, pressure has been built on the supply. In this regard, she spoke to the Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, as a result of which the Haryana Government has assured to maintain a minimum of 1,000 cusecs of water supply to Delhi through the Munak Canal. The Chief Minister said that protecting the interests of Delhi and ensuring drinking water availability are among the highest priorities of the government.
The Chief Minister was informed that to deal with the current situation, more than 980 water tankers of the Delhi Jal Board are operating over 6,000 trips daily. Small tankers have also been deployed to ensure water supply in densely populated areas and narrow lanes. Additionally, by establishing additional borewells in the Yamuna Khadar area, water production capacity has been increased by 10.5 MGD per day.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to take immediate action, considering every incident of water leakage seriously. She said that every single drop of water is precious and any kind of wastage will not be acceptable. The Chief Minister also directed that Delhi Jal Board officials should personally monitor the complaints received daily and, if necessary, go to the field themselves to verify the situation.
CM Gupta said, "11,055 complaints were received on the Delhi Jal Board helpline in the last week, out of which more than 8,500 complaints have been resolved. The Chief Minister directed the quick redressal of the remaining complaints as well."
According to the chief minister's office, CM Gupta also directed the officials that an adequate number of water tankers should be made available regularly in all the affected areas of the capital, and their trips should be increased as per the requirement.
The Chief Minister directed the officials that, along with short-term measures to deal with the current circumstances, work on long-term water management plans should also be done at an equal pace, so that future requirements can also be effectively met along with immediate relief. Under this, a study on the feasibility of bringing water through a pipeline from Haryana is being conducted, so that water loss and leakage can be reduced. In this regard, a feasibility study is being conducted by IIT Roorkee. In addition to this, work is also being done on schemes such as dredging and de-silting work in the Yamuna near Wazirabad, the establishment of new water treatment plants, and the development of additional borewells in the Yamuna Khadar area.
The Chief Minister said that the Delhi government is working with full commitment to provide adequate and clean drinking water to the citizens. Along with dealing with the current challenges, the plans being made keeping in mind the future needs will further strengthen the water security of the capital. The Chief Minister also directed that a dual water supply system should be implemented in a phased manner to ensure the use of treated water obtained from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for horticulture, vehicle washing and other non-potable works.
Emphasising the need to make water conservation a public movement, the Chief Minister directed the Delhi Jal Board to run a massive public awareness campaign. The Chief Minister also directed the Delhi Jal Board to promote the judicious use of water and to run a comprehensive public awareness campaign for this. She said that a permanent solution to the water crisis is possible not only by increasing the supply but also through the judicious use and conservation of water.
The Chief Minister informed that rainwater harvesting structures are being developed in 75 CM Shri schools. Apart from this, work on the plan for the construction of 500 new water harvesting structures and the revival of 1,000 old structures has started, and the tender process for this has also been initiated.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Living in South Delhi, I can tell you the situation is dire. We've been getting water only every alternate day. The CM's assurance of 1000 cusecs from Haryana is welcome, but what happens when the temperature hits 45°C? We need more than tankers - we need permanent solutions. I appreciate the focus on rainwater harvesting in schools and reviving old structures, but why only 75 schools? With thousands of schools in Delhi, this should be scaled up massively. Also, the fact that 11,055 complaints were received in just one week shows how widespread the problem is. Good to see 8,500 resolved, but where are the remaining 2,500? 😤
As someone who works in the infrastructure sector, I can say that the dual water supply system is a game-changer if implemented properly. Many countries already do this - treated wastewater for non-potable uses can save millions of liters of drinking water daily. But the key is execution. The DJB needs to fast-track the pipeline from Haryana and the new treatment plants. I'm also glad to see they're serious about reducing leakages - in Delhi, we lose nearly 30% of water through leaks and theft. Every drop counts, and the CM is right to emphasize this. Let's hope this isn't just election talk but real action. 🤞
I moved to Delhi from the US five years ago, and the water situation here still shocks me. In the States, we take clean drinking water for granted, but here it's a constant struggle. The CM's efforts are commendable, especially the awareness campaign for water conservation. But I think the real solution lies in better governance - reducing political interference in the DJB, ensuring timely maintenance of infrastructure, and cracking down on water mafia who steal tanker water. The fact that Haryana is cooperating is good, but Delhi needs to become self-reliant. Rainwater harvesting is the way forward - every building should be mandated to have it. 😊
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