DJB wasting water: Haryana

NEW DELHI: A day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Haryana of reducing water supply to Delhi, the neighbouring state alleged that though the capital was getting its full quota Delhi Jal Board was wasting it by allowing 200 cusecs of water to flow into the supplementary drain. DJB, on the other hand, claims that its plants were running to capacity since there was additional flow in the Yamuna.
The charges and countercharges were made a day before the court is expected to hear both sides on the Munak Canal issue. “Since Wednesday we have released 275 cusecs water through the old canal and another 700 cusecs through the new lined channel (Munak Canal). This water is meant for the Haiderpur, Nangloi and Wazirabad plants. However, Delhi is only picking up 500 cusecs from Munak Canal for Nangloi and Haiderpur and the 200 cusecs that should be taken to Wazirabad is being released into the supplementary drain,” said a source in Haryana irrigation department.
“The pipeline from Munak to the Wazirabad plant has been closed. This is being done to show the court that we are not supplying sufficient water,” added the source.
Haryana agriculture minister O P Dhankar accused Kejriwal of telling lies and misleading people. “He should not spread lies as we are releasing water as per our commitment. If they have more demand, they can approach UP which made an offer at a meeting with the Union water resources minister recently,” Dhankar said. He added Haryana is unable to meet its own water demand and 40% of its area has been declared as dark zone due to overdrawal of groundwater.
Delhi retaliated by accusing Haryana of misleading people. “There is already more than normal flow in the river due to recent rain. We are getting this water for Wazirabad. Why is Haryana not talking about the 900 cusecs that it is wasting by allowing it to flow downstream of Wazirabad? The additional 200 cusecs that it claims we are wasting are being used for the Dwarka and Bawana treatment plants,” said a DJB source.