Water Minister Atishi had said on Friday that water production in Delhi was decreasing continuously as less water was reaching the Yamuna river.
New Delhi: Amid a severe water crisis in several parts of the national capital, chaotic scenes unfolded as locals desperately chased after water tankers to secure their share. Videos shared by news agency ANI show residents running behind the water, scrambling up tankers dispatched by the authorities and enduring long queues to fill their containers. The desperation was palpable as people clambered for water in the scorching heat.
As Delhi faces scarcity of water, the issue has now escalated into a blame game between the Aam Aadmi Party-led city government and the Office of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Both parties are accusing each other of shielding the water tanker mafia and mismanagement even as residents continue to scramble for the supply.
#WATCH | Water supplied through tankers to Delhi locals in the Okhla area, amid water shortage in the national capital this summer pic.twitter.com/spAr9CGG2l
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024
#WATCH | Delhi: Water supplied through tankers to Delhi locals in the Govindpuri area, amid water shortage in the national capital this summer pic.twitter.com/JFf2hElRzt
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024
Congress Holds Matka Protest in Delhi
he Delhi Congress, under the leadership of its chief Devender Yadav, held ‘matka phod’ protests across the city on Saturday with its members smashing earthen pots to the ground.
The protests began around 10 am in all 280 blocks in Delhi.
Carrying earthen pots on their heads and Congress flags, the protesters raised slogans against the Delhi government and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Later, they threw the pots on the ground.
Yadav, who also joined the protests, demanded a special session of the assembly to discuss the issue.
The protesters, carrying placards and banners, shouted anti-government slogans.
Yadav said that the Delhi Congress has been taking up the water scarcity issue for the past 20 to 25 days.
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments have been neglecting the plight of the people and are busy blaming each other for water scarcity, he alleged.
AAP Accuses BJP For The Crisis
Water Minister Atishi had said on Friday that water production in Delhi was decreasing continuously as less water was reaching the Yamuna river.
The AAP government has been accusing the BJP-ruled Haryana of not releasing Delhi’s share of water.
Sharing data, Atishi had said water production on June 6 was 1,002 million gallons per day (MGD) and it declined to 993 MGD the next day and 990 MGD on June 8.
It was 978 MGD on June 9 and 958 MGD the next day. On June 11, 12 and 13, water production was 919 MGD, 951 MGD and 939 MGD, respectively, the minister had said.