'Won't allow Arvind Kejriwal to enter West Delhi till clean water provided': BJP

In a key development, the BJP on Wednesday, June 1, staged protests against the AAP government in the national capital, asserting that they won't allow CM Arvind Kejriwal to enter West Delhi until the government finds a solution to the ongoing water crisis in the Union Territory and provide people with clean water.

Taking to his Twitter, BJP MP from West Delhi, Parvesh Sahib Singh wrote, "Protested at Delhi Secretariat with the people of West Delhi Lok Sabha today, demanding water. More than 5000 people, mostly women participated in it. I express my gratitude to all and hope that Kejriwal will wake up from sleep and get clean water arranged." Singh further added, "Kejriwal and Company's entry in West Delhi parliamentary constituency is closed until clean water is available."

Speaking to ANI, Parvesh Sahib Singh accused the AAP government of refusing to start the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in Delhi. "Kejriwal government refused to start the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, under which, Andaman Nicobar is also getting pure water. But Kejriwal's government is so much into corruption that it has made life difficult for people here," he said.

'What happened to Rs 57,000 crore given to Delhi Jal Board?': BJP

BJP national Vice-president and the party's Delhi's co-in charge Baijayant Panda who also took part in the protest on Wednesday and said that the AAP government is unable to provide clean water to the Delhiites. Speaking to ANI, Panda said, "The Delhiites are longing for a drop of water as there is acute water shortage all around in the city. Arvind Kejriwal is unfazed and unable to tell Delhiites what happened to the Rs 57,000 crore given to the Delhi Jal board. Such is the situation of the board that fails to round the clock water supply. It is not even able to provide clean water."

It is pertinent to mention here that along with Parvesh Singh and Panda, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and the leader of the opposition in the Delhi legislative assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri partook in the protest against the water supply shortage.

Delhi BJP President Adesh Gupta alleged that CM Kejriwal's government is working with water tanker mafias. "It is the same Kejriwal who used to say the same thing during Sheila Dikshit's government that when they will get rid of water tanker mafias when they come to power. They have now shaken hands with the same people who are filling his ministers and MLAs' pockets," Gupta said according to ANI. He further added, "Delhi now needs 13,000 MGD water but 30 per cent of the water supplied is wasted in leakage itself. In fact, FIR should be registered against him for making Delhiites drink contaminated, smelly and bad quality water."

"Now Kejriwal has got a Rs 75,000 crore budget but Delhiites are still crying for water. CM has repeatedly assured that he would give pure water to Delhiites but the fact is that 44 per cent aren’t getting pure drinking water. They are getting affected by water-borne diseases," Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said according to ANI.

Water scarcity in Delhi

It is pertinent to mention here that Delhi is currently encountering water shortage issues for the last few weeks and BJP is protesting against the Arvind Kejriwal government for not being able to provide clean water to the people of the national capital. Notably, earlier in May, Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the Haryana government of not releasing enough water from the Yamuna, which is required for the national capital. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar slammed the AAP, stating that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party was responsible for the water scarcity as now they were in power in both Delhi as well as Punjab. 

While speaking to the media, the Haryana CM Khattar said, "People in Delhi keep talking about water scarcity. If this scarcity has to be made up for, it's not the responsibility of Haryana alone. It's their responsibility too. Earlier they (AAP) had only Delhi, it wasn't their responsibility then. Now they have Punjab too."

'Water supply to be affected in parts of Delhi': DJB 

On May 16, the DJB said that water production had been affected at treatment plants in Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla and requested the residents, suffering from a scorching summer, to store an adequate quantity of water in advance as per requirement. It added that water tankers would be provided on request as supply would remain affected till the pond level improved to normal.

"Due to depletion of pond level of Yamuna at Wazirabad Water Works 669.40 feet against the normal level of 674.50 feet and reduction in release of raw water by Haryana in river Yamuna, water production has been affected from Water Treatment Plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal & Okhla," it said.