BJYM protest at Haryana CM’s residence demanding Delhi’s water share.

Parched Delhi shocked and anguished over Sheila’s shadowboxing 

Knee jerk reactions won’t do, Delhi needs proper water management: Goel 

 

New Delhi, May 19 : Angry over petty politicking by the Congress governments of Delhi and Haryana, thousands of youth from all parts of Delhi converged at official residence of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today to demand release of Delhi’s share of water held back by Haryana. 

The protest organised by Delhi Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha was led by Delhi BJP President Shri Vijay Goel and Delhi BJYM President Shri Gauarav Khari. Shri Goel, Shri Khari and Delhi BJP general secretaries Shikha Rai and Jai Prakash also courted arrest as the police tried to stop them. They were later released during the day. 

Addressing the protesters, Shri Goel said, “The overall water management system has collapsed in Delhi. Not only Delhi has not got its due share from Haryana, the much delayed Munak Canal whose cost over runs are phenomenal doesn’t have single drop of water despite tall claims made by the Chief Minister for the last one year.” 

“The fact is that from Munak Canal also Delhi will only get around 75-80 MGD water. But there will still be shortfall of more than 200 MGD and the government has no plan to fill this gap. The way Congress is trying to project Munak canal as a panacea for Delhi’s water crisis is thus misleading,” he added. 

Shri Goel said atleast on such sensitive issues like water crisis which affect life of every citizen of Delhi, Congress governments in Delhi and Haryana should stop shadow boxing. “A Parched Delhi is witnessing this politicking by Delhi CM and her colleagues with a sense of hurt, deep anguish and shock.” 

“The political acrobatics of Congress leaders on the issue of water which is ruling both the states (Delhi and Haryana) cannot escape the eyes of angry public.” 

Shri Goel said, “Every year the water crisis hits Delhi in its worst possible form during summers and yet this government has never been ready with any water management plan. Knee jerk reactions and cosmetic actions will just not do, Delhi needs a proper water management system so that permanent solutions can be found. If a government has the will then within given resources, better water management is possible. This will take care of water woes permanently.” 

It is utterly disturbing that a city of 1.6 crore population which is also Capital of the country is without an effective water management plan for Delhi. The latest example is the case of Munak Canal. Even after a decade, the Canal is yet to get commissioned even though work started on it in 2003 and was supposed to finish in 27 months. Three major water treatment plants which were built with thousands of crores of rupees of public money which were to cater to water from this Canal are thus lying idle. Who is responsible for such poor planning? Who is accountable for making Delhi wait for water after making hollow promises? Who is accountable for this callous wastage of tax payers’ money? 

“ With alteast 40 per cent of the water getting waste, dysfunctional pipelines, inequitable distribution, almost a 1000 per increase in water tariff, defunct sewage treatment facilities( which otherwise could have augmented water supply through recycling), slumping groundwater level, extremely poor quality of water, Delhi has entered a disaster zone on water front,” said Shri Goel. 

He further added, “Many of these problems could be resolved with better water management which is people-oriented. However, the CM seems to be looking for quick-fix solutions and this approach has resulted in the persistent water crisis.” 

He said, “It is also evident that the poor water supply in Delhi is benefitting Tanker Mafia which has emerged as a multi-million Rupees industry during the last 15 years.” 

Shri Goel said, “I suspect that the DJB is being made dysfunctional deliberately to leave Delhi with no other option but go for privatisation where Delhi residents would suffer from arbitrary price hikes as it happened in case of power sector.” 

Addressing the protesting BJYM workers, Shri Khari said, ““The BJYM workers will not relent till Delhi gets its due share of water from Haryana. It is clear that with Congress governments ruling in both Haryana and Delhi, the Delhi residents are made to suffer. 

Delhi residents can see that ultimately the ongoing water crisis is an “artificial one” and the biggest beneficiary of this crisis is Tanker Mafia of Delhi. We will expose how Delhi government’s inaction is forcing people to be at the mercy of Private Tankers which are making common people shell out huge money for meeting their day to day requirement of water.” 

“The youth of city is completely disillusioned with this government who is more interested in cosmetic gestures rather than addressing the issues. The government’s failure to address ongoing water crisis is an evidence of that,” Shri Khari added.