Delhi Water Minister Atishi continued her indefinite fast, which enters the fourth day today over the water crisis in the national capital. In a video message from her 'Jal Satyagrah' venue at Bhogal in south Delhi, Atishi said she will not eat anything till Haryana releases more water for the people in the city, 28 lakh of whom she said were water shortage. The minister sat on indefinite fast on Friday, alleging that Haryana was not releasing Delhi's rightful share of water in Yamuna.
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Despite her steadfast determination, Atishi's health has been on a steady decline. "Yesterday, the doctor came and examined me. He said that my BP is getting low, my sugar is getting low, I am losing weight. He also said that the ketone level has increased a lot. The doctor advised that it is not good for the ketone level to increase so much. It can damage the body, it can harm health," she shared. However, Atishi remains undeterred. "No matter how bad my health is, no matter how much pain my body is in, my resolve to do this fast is strong. And until 28 lakh Delhiites do not get water, my indefinite fast will continue."Atishi's protest has galvanized public support, with many Delhi residents rallying behind her cause. Social media platforms are abuzz with messages of solidarity and calls for action, highlighting the widespread frustration over the water shortage.
For the past three weeks, Delhi has been grappling with a severe water shortage. According to Atishi, the Haryana government has been supplying 100 million gallons per day (MGD) less water than required. This reduction has significantly strained the city's water resources, leaving 28 lakh (2.8 million) Delhiites struggling for access to this essential commodity. AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed on Sunday that the BJP government in Haryana reduced water supply further, even after Delhi minister Atishi began her indefinite hunger strike demanding Delhi's fair share of water from the neighbouring state. Bharadwaj alleged that the Haryana's BJP government is lying continuously. “They are reducing water...After Atishi sat for protest, Haryana reduced at least 17 MGD (million gallons per day) more water...so now Haryana is giving 117 MGD less,” ANI reported Bharadwaj as saying. Amid the water crisis in Delhi, people continued to form long queues at water tankers to meet their daily requirements. People in Mayur Vihar's Chilla Gaon and the residents of Geeta colony received water supply through tankers.