New Delhi: The Delhi government sent an SOS to Haryana, the third time in two weeks, urging it to release additional water in the Yamuna river in order to prevent a water crisis in the national capital, reported news agency PTI.
"Haryana is releasing less water in the river due to which the water level at the Wazirabad pond has dropped to a critical low of 671.80 feet, as against the normal level of 674.5 feet. Several areas in Delhi may face a water crisis," an official said.
"Even flow via CLC (Carrier-Lined Channel) and DSB (Delhi Sub-Branch) is fluctuating... The lifting of 120 cusecs of water from the Wazirabad pond is affected due to low pond level. This will affect water production adversely. Due to peak summer, the water requirement is more," stated the SOS sent to the Haryana irrigation department read.
"It is requested to supply 150 cusec of raw water additionally through DD-8/river route, so as to ensure that 120 cusec of raw water reaches the Wazirabad pond in this time of crisis, till the arrival of monsoon," it read further.
The news agency reported that officials said that operations at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants have been affected. Starting Friday morning, the water supply will remain affected till the water level at the Wazirabad pond improves to normal.
The Delhi government had earlier written to the Haryana irrigation department regarding the matter on May 3 and April 30.
A ‘yellow’ alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department warning of a heatwave at most places in the capital on Friday and Saturday. The MeT Department has also issued an 'orange' alert to caution people about a severe heatwave on Sunday.
The mercury is predicted to leap to 46-47 degrees Celsius at isolated places in the coming days, weather experts said.
Delhi receives a total of 610 million gallons of water a day from Haryana through two canals — Carrier-Lined Channel (CLC) and Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB) — and the Yamuna.
The CLC and the DSB are supplied water from Hathni Kund via Munak canal and the Bhakra Beas Management Board.
Apart from this, Uttar Pradesh supplies 253 MGD of water to the national capital through the Upper Ganga Canal, and 90 MGD is drawn from ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city.