LG Saxena hits out at AAP government over water crisis, Atishi continues hunger strike for second day

New Delhi [India], June 22 : Even as Delhi Water Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi continued her indefinite hunger strike for the second day today alleging that Haryana is supplying less water per day to Delhi, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that the AAP-led Delhi government is playing the same blame game every year.
The AAP has alleged that the neighbouring state of Haryana is supplying 100 million gallons per day (MGD) less water every day, which has severely affected the lives of 28 lakh people in Delhi, adding to the problem of water shortage.
The issue of water shortage arose with the high temperatures and heat waves in the national capital.
Earlier today, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena launched an attack on the AAP-led Delhi government over the water crisis, saying that the same blame-game story is played by the government year after year.
"Heart-rending scenes of people running after tankers and incidents of water shortage are not new in Delhi. This has been happening year after year and every year, the same blame-game story is repeated by the Government on social media and in press conferences," Saxena said in an official statement.
VK Saxena also expressed his anguish at the AAP government's approach to governance and service delivery in Delhi. "The AAP Government will do well to go to the drawing board and revisit its model of governance rather than abusing, accusing and scooting through social media and press conferences. The absence of seriousness in governance is disturbing. As the Constitutional Head of Delhi, I feel anguished at the approach of the AAP government, on almost every subject concerning governance and delivery of services to the people of Delhi," Delhi LG said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Minister Atishi, who is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike against the water crisis, said on Saturday that she tried "everything" but was left with no choice but to sit on a fast when the Haryana government did not agree to supply the required quantity of water.
"This is the second day of my fast. There is an acute shortage of water in Delhi. Delhi receives water from its neighbouring states. Delhi receives a total of 1005 MGD of water that is supplied to the houses in Delhi. Of this, 613 MGD of water comes from Haryana but for the past several weeks, it has been releasing only 513 MGD. Due to this, more than 28 lakh people in Delhi are not receiving water. I tried everything but when the Haryana government didn't agree to supply water, I was left with no choice but to sit on a fast," Atishi said in a video posted on her X handle.
The AAP leader, who is also the Water Minister in the Delhi government, began her strike on Friday at Bhogal, near Jangpura. She was accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and other party leaders.
The Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, has written a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena regarding the shortage of water in the national capital.
A delegation of AAP MPs, MLAs, and leaders is scheduled to meet the Lieutenant Governor at 11 am tomorrow to discuss the issue.
Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged a protest outside the Delhi Jal Board office in Delhi.

The police also used water cannons to disperse the people protesting the prevailing water crisis in the national capital.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at the AAP, saying that Haryana is sending enough water and the Supreme Court has also acknowledged this.
"AAP has been in power in Delhi for the last 10 years. They have the Delhi Jal Board, MCD. They have all the important departments. So are they protesting against their own government? The reality is that their own ally, the Congress Party, is now admitting that Haryana is sending more water. It is sending more than it has committed to send. The Supreme Court has also acknowledged this," the BJP leader said.
"Today, instead of taking action against the water tanker mafia, they are again doing drama and demonstrations. The question is why are they protecting the water tanker mafia? Is it because they are getting a commission on every water tanker?" Poonawalla added.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj alleged the crisis has been "orchestrated" by the AAP government to "encourage corruption."
"It almost seems that this crisis, which is not a natural crisis, has been orchestrated by the Kejriwal government to encourage their own corruption as well as to encourage the illegal tanker mafia," Bansuri Swaraj told ANI.
"Delhi is in a dire state. The entire city is parched and the Kejriwal government is indulging only in theatrics. Delhi minister Atishi instead of working on the ground and instead of taking any adequate steps is now indulging in mere theatrics and is now threatening Delhiites with anshan (fast)," she added.
The people of Delhi have been counting on water tankers to avail their daily requirements of water.
In several areas, people stand in long queues to fetch water from tankers.
Amid soaring temperatures, these scenes have become a daily occurrence in many areas of the national capital since the start of the summer season this year.

Residents of Sanjay colony in Delhi's Okhla were captured carrying buckets and canisters in order to avail water from tankers.

Visuals also showed people thronging the site, waiting for their turn to fetch water.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Delhi's Chilla village and Geeta Colony.
Gajendra Prasad, a resident of Geeta colony, spoke to ANI about the ongoing water crisis.

"The government should establish contact with the residents of those areas where there is a massive shortage of water", he said.

Another resident, Sachin Kumar told ANI, "Earlier we were not getting water. But now, after the media raised the issue, we are getting tankers on a daily basis. However, the water is not clear. The tap water is better than this."