Amid a severe heatwave with temperatures reaching around 50 degrees Celsius in parts of the city, the Delhi government is set to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to address the ongoing water crisis. Officials report that the national capital is experiencing a significant water shortage exacerbated by the extreme summer heat. The meeting, scheduled for noon, will be attended by Water Minister Atishi, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, the chief secretary, and other senior officers. Atishi has attributed the water shortage to the interruption of Delhi's water supply from the Yamuna River by Haryana.
In response to the crisis, the city government has implemented measures to mitigate the impact. On Wednesday, a fine of Rs 2000 was imposed for water wastage, and 200 teams were formed to enforce this penalty. Additionally, the government has initiated measures such as running tubewells in double shifts and deploying water tankers to supply water to the affected areas. This comes a day after Ms Atishi alleged that the Haryana government is not giving Delhi its share of water this month. "On May 1, the water level in Wazirabad was 674.5, now it has dropped to 669.8. This has led to water crisis in several areas," she said. Wazirabad has one of the six water treatment plants in Delhi.
In an appeal to Delhi residents, the minister said, "Some areas are not getting any water supply, so we will have to rationalise. The areas which receive water twice a day will now get it once a day. Please cooperate in this difficult time. "Please use water carefully. Don't waste it at all," she added. Ms Atishi yesterday said the Delhi government is in talks with the Haryana government. "But the Haryana government is not releasing water, even after so many talks. If the water supply does not improve in the coming 1-2 days, we will move court. We will also go to the Supreme Court. If the water level keeps on decreasing in this acute heatwave, then Delhi might face a huge problem. "The weather office said heatwave conditions in the national capital will persist for the next few days and advised people to minimise exposure to heat and stay hydrated.