Water supply to VIPs too will be cut if Delhi faces shortage: Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: As the city stares at water crisis in the peak summer months, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued direction to cut supply to even VIPs barring the Prime Minister, the President and the diplomatic missions if there was shortage of water in Delhi.

Arvind Kejriwal

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal said in case of any water shortage, it will be felt by all VIPs except a few and attacked BJP-ruled Haryana for "cutting" supply of raw water to the city after the Delhi polls.

"There should be no politics over water. This year if there is any shortage of water, then Delhi Jal Board should ensure that it is felt by everybody. Water supply shortage will be faced by all the VIPs starting from me. Only Prime Minister, President, embassies and emergency services will be exempted," Kejriwal said.

Currently, all VIPs including Union and Delhi ministers, MPs and top bureaucrats get uninterrupted water supply. The DJB had alleged that since the AAP came to power, supply of water from Haryana through Munak canal has dropped substantially.

It has been maintaining that due to reduction in supply of raw water from Haryana, the production of potable water at its Water Treatment Plants in Dwarka, Bawana, Nangloi and Haiderpur has dropped considerably.

The current average demand for potable water in Delhi is around 1,100 million gallons per day (mgd) and the Delhi Jal Board supplies around 800 mgd water across the city after treating raw water in its treatment plants.

The demand is projected to touch around 1,400 mgd by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan in 2017. Delhi relies heavily on neighbouring states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for the supply of raw water.

Large parts of the city witness severe water shortage during summer months.