Delhi L-G Criticises CM Over Water Scarcity; AAP Responds Firmly

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's water minister of using the death of a woman in a fight over fetching water for political purposes. In an open letter, Saxena claimed that the government has created a false image of free water and that the woman's death highlights its failure. Water Minister Atishi responded by stating that all initiatives and actions of the Delhi Jal Board were halted due to a conspiracy that stopped the release of funds to the DJB.Saxena cited official figures from The Economic Survey 2023-24, which showed that water treatment capacity grew marginally from 906 MGD to 946 MGD, a 4.4 per cent increase, while the population of the city grew by 15 per cent. He also pointed out that the percentage of unaccounted for water increased from 45 per cent in 2015 to 58 per cent in 2022-2023. Saxena added that more than two crore people in the city are deprived of drinking water supply in varying degrees.In response, Atishi accused Saxena of maintaining silence and apathy towards the water woes of Delhi's people. She claimed that the water crisis has been artificially created and alleged a disconnect between responsibility and authority in the current administrative setup.