As Delhi continues to face a water crisis, the AAP govt continues to blame other states for the same. After alleging that neighbouring states were not sending adequate water to Delhi, it has now alleged that water tankers from neighbouring states are stealing water from pipes carrying water to Delhi. This allegation came after the Supreme Court of India slammed the AAP govt for not controlling the water tanker mafia.
On Thursday (13th June), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court alleging that the tanker mafias were entering the city of Delhi from the Haryana side. It claimed that these mafias were stealing the water from the canals and selling it to the poor in exchange of a hefty amount.
The Aam Aadmi Party also claimed that it was unable to take action against the water mafia due to jurisdictional concerns. However, it stated that it was making every effort to control water leaks.
“As regards any news reports or references of an alleged ‘tanker mafia’, such illicit pilferage of water is taking place prior to the water reaching the CLC or DSB. In other words, the tanker mafia is operational on the Haryana side of the Yamuna river and the Petitioner lacks jurisdiction to act against the same,” the affidavit mentioned.
“It is for Haryana to explain what steps it is taking to preserve the full supply of water to Delhi between the point of release and the point of receipt. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has prepared a comprehensive blueprint for augmenting water supplies in the NCT of Delhi. This plan has been prepared keeping in mind the water scarcity faced by Delhi every year and the sharp rise in population in the city,” it mentioned.
The Delhi government further stated that it respectfully welcomed the appointment of an independent committee by the Supreme Court to monitor and ensure its effective implementation.
This comes a day after the Supreme Court slammed the AAP government over the role of the tanker mafia in the national capital’s water crisis. The court said that if the Delhi government can’t take action then the court can ask the Delhi police to intervene. The Delhi Minister Atishi accused senior officials of colluding with the mafia to reduce the number of DJB tankers and demanded an investigation.
Following the Supreme Court’s observations, the Lieutenant Governor Secretariat wrote to the Delhi Police Commissioner, requesting that he take action against the tanker mafia involved in the theft of water from the Munak canal, which transports water from Haryana.
Seeking a compliance report within a week, the LG instructed the police commissioner to maintain strict vigilance along the canal to avoid water theft by the tanker mafia and other illicit activities.
The national capital has been dealing with a water crisis, with the Delhi administration blaming Haryana for failing to release its share of water. Notably, Haryana on the other hand maintains that it has been releasing water to the city as decided in the 1994 MoU.
As reported, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva earlier held the AAP government responsible for the ongoing water crisis indicating that the government was stealing water from the Munak canal and providing the same via tankers to the locals in exchange for money.
“The tanker mafia, run by AAP MLAs and Ministers, steals water from the Munak canal in exchange for which they earn money. This is the main reason for the lack of water in Delhi,” the BJP leader was quoted as saying.
Several parts of Delhi have been affected by a lack of water due to the city’s current heatwave. Slums, resettlement colonies, and villages are particularly hard-struck, forcing residents to purchase water tanks or rely on Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tankers.
In the latest update to the situation, the Delhi Police has begun monitoring the Munak Canal area to track the tanker mafia’s activities. A senior officer stated that police teams have set up pickets and begun patrolling the 15-kilometer stretch of the canal on the Haryana border that supplies water to the national capital. The canal enters Delhi from Bawana and flows to the Haiderpur Treatment Plant.
Teams from Bawana, Narela Industrial Area, Shahbad Dairy, and Samai Pur Badali police stations have been charged with patrolling the Munak Canal and its surroundings.
