Won't Let Delhi Face Water Crisis, Says CM Rekha Gupta Amid Tussle With Punjab

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday assured citizens that her government won't let the city plunge into a water crisis, even as the BJP government accused the AAP-ruled Punjab government of resorting to "dirty politics" over sharing of river waters.

"Let me assure everyone that there will be no water crisis. We are working to ensure that people are not inconvenienced," said CM Gupta over alleged attempts by Punjab to stop water supply to Haryana and Delhi.

The "water war" between Punjab and Delhi showed signs of escalation on Thursday as Water Minister Parvesh Verma accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – which was unseated by the ruling BJP in the recent Delhi Assembly election – of indulging in regressive actions to settle political scores with the Delhi government.

"The Punjab government has resorted to dirty politics by stopping water supply to Haryana and Delhi," said Verma in a message on the social media platform X.

He said, "After losing in Delhi, now they want to create a water crisis. We are working day and night to provide clean water to every household in Delhi, and now the Punjab government wants to take revenge on the people of Delhi in this way. Stop this dirty politics or else you will be expelled from Punjab as well."

On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attacked the BJP for "conspiring to divest" Punjab of its water by "misusing" its power in Haryana and the Centre.

Claiming that the state has not a single drop of water to share with any other state, CM Mann wrote to his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini, denying media reports alleging that Punjab had assured water to Haryana.

In a statement, CM Mann claimed that his Haryana counterpart dialled him, but "I never gave any assurances regarding water".

The Chief Minister said every year, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) distributes water to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, applicable from May 21 to May 20 next year. He said this year, BBMB had distributed 3.318 MAF, 2.987 MAF and 5.512 MAF water to Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, respectively.

CM Mann said the BJP government in Haryana had used its share of water by March 31, after which the crisis had arisen.

Chief Minister Mann said subsequently the Haryana government had urged Punjab that they don't even have water to cater to the drinking needs of people.

He said that as a humanitarian gesture, the Punjab government generously allotted 4,000 cusecs of water daily to Haryana from April 6.

CM Mann said that the population of Haryana is three crore, and as per estimates, 1,700 cusecs of water is enough to meet the people's needs.

However, he said, "The Haryana government has sought 2.5 times more water from Punjab than its actual need."

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