Delhi receives raw water from Haryana, crisis to resolve soon: DJB

New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Friday informed that the water level at the Wazirabad pond has increased from 667 feet to 674.5 feet after the Haryana government released Delhi's share of water.

With availability of adequate raw water, DJB said the threat of a water crisis has been averted and the water supply in the national capital will normalise in one or two days.

DJB's vice chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha after taking stock of the situation at the Wazirabad Barrage on Friday, said 16,000 cusec water, which was released from Hathini Kund (Haryana) on Tuesday, has reached Yamuna (Delhi) and the water treatment plants in the capital are operating at optimum levels.

"The DJB along with the people of Delhi finally managed to compel Haryana to release Delhi's rightful share of water in the Yamuna -- 16,000 cusecs. As a result, all our water treatment plants are now operating at optimum levels," Chadha said.

The water from Wazirabad pond is drawn for treatment at Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal treatment plants. The treated water is then supplied to central, south and west Delhi.

The DJB had on Monday stated that the water level of the Yamuna at the Wazirabad Barrage had hit the lowest mark in 56 years.

However, before the raw water was released and received, there were constant protests and counter protests by political outfits in the national capital.

The DJB had also moved the Supreme Court, seeking directions to Haryana to release the capital's share of water.

The Delhi unit of the BJP, which had raised an alarm even before the DJB made an official announcement last week, continued its protest against the AAP government on Friday as well. Scores of BJP workers protested near the Delhi Chief Minister's residence.

The Congress, which had maintained silence on the issue, also swung into action and staged a protest near Chief Minister Kejriwal's residence on Friday.

According to the DJB, at present Delhi has been receiving 479 MGD against 609 MGD from Haryana. Besides, Delhi draws 90 MGD groundwater and receives 250 MGD from the Upper Ganga Canal.