Protest against Hooda for not releasing Delhi’s share of water (The Hindu 20 May 2013)

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party activists being detained by the police for protesting outside Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's residence in Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Meeta Ahlawat

A large number of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists protested near the residence of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here against the alleged “petty politicking’’ by the Congress governments of Delhi and Haryana and their failure in ensuring the Capital’s rightful share of water from the neighbouring State.

Leading the protest, Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel charged that the “overall water management system has collapsed in Delhi. Not only Delhi has not got its due share from Haryana, the much delayed Munak Canal, whose cost overruns are phenomenal, still does not have single drop of water despite the tall claims made by the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit over the last one year.”

Pointing out that the canal was yet to be commissioned even though work had started on it in 2003 and was supposed to be completed in 27 months, Mr. Goel said: “The fact is that from Munak Canal also Delhi will only get around 75-80 MGD water. But there will still be shortfall of more than 200 MGD and the government has no plan to fill this gap. The way Congress is trying to project Munak Canal as a panacea for Delhi’s water crisis is thus misleading.”

Mr. Goel demanded that at least on such sensitive issues like water, which affects the life of every citizen of Delhi, the Congress governments in Delhi and Haryana should stop shadow boxing.

“A parched Delhi is witnessing this politicking by the Chief Minister and her colleagues with a sense of hurt, deep anguish and shock,” he said while referring to the statements of thanks issued by Ms. Dikshit and various Congress MPs of Delhi to Mr. Hooda for agreeing to release some additional water for Delhi from Tajewala.

Stating that the Delhi Government has never been ready with any water management plan, the BJP leader said knee jerk reactions and cosmetic actions will just not do.

“Delhi needs a proper water management system so that permanent solutions can be found. If a government has the will then within given resources, better water management is possible. This will take care of water woes permanently.”

Mr. Goel also said that he suspected that the Delhi Jal Board was deliberately being made dysfunctional to leave the city with no other option but go for privatisation of water as it would allow the private players to charge arbitrary rates as was happening in the case of power.

The protest was also led by Delhi BJYM president Gaurav Khari and all the activists and leaders courted arrest after the police prevented them from proceeding to Mr. Hooda’s residence.