The letter was sent after the direction of the Supreme Court to have direct communication to resolve water crisis.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wrote a letter to the Haryana government requesting to continue the current level of water supply to the national capital. The officials of both the governments had discussed the issue in a couple of meetings held earlier.
However, it is the first time that Delhi chief minister has written a letter to Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar over water problem.
The letter was sent after the direction of the Supreme Court to have direct communication to resolve water crisis.
On Wednesday, the Apex court had directed the Delhi government saying, “It would be appropriate if the Delhi government directly approach the Haryana government and Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) to resolve the water supply issue.”
Kejriwal’s letter to Khattar was also a move which was taken after the Haryana government’s statement that it would release extra water to Delhi only till May 21.
In its fresh submission before the Apex court on the conflict over water supply, the Haryana government said, “It would maintain status quo till May 21 and will decide its further move on its own.”
The Delhi government, however, volunteered to resolve ongoing conflict on sharing of Yamuna water share by withdrawing its public interest litigation (PIL) which was filed earlier in the court.
In the PIL, it was alleged that Haryana government had reduced the supply of Yamuna water by one-third to the national capital which caused a grave water crisis. It was also alleged that Haryana government was doing it deliberately with a political motive.
Kejriwal had also written a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on this issue. Kejriwal had requested Baijal to take up the matter with union water resource ministry.
In his letter to LG, the chief minister said, “If Haryana reduces water supply from May 21, it would lead to an unprecedented water shortage in Delhi.”
The chief minister also informed LG that disruption of water supply from Haryana would not only affect residential areas but VIP areas including Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, embassies of various countries and other major establishments as well.
