Jat stir: Water supply to Delhi likely to be restored soon

Chandigarh, Feb 22: Normal supply of water to Delhi from Haryana, which had been disrupted due to the Jat stir, is likely to be restored on Monday, Feb 22 as security forces have taken control of the Munak Canal after evicting Jat protesters.

Two columns of the Army, CRPF and Haryana Police personnel took over control of the canal at around 4 am, official sources said. All protesters who were squatting at the site were evicted, the sources said.

Haryana's Irrigation Department officials are at the spot and were engaged in carrying out repairs at the spot. Normal water supply should be restored during the day, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has called a cabinet meeting in the afternoon to take stock of the situation in the wake of the Jat stir.

Delhi has been facing a water crisis following cut in its supply from Haryana due to Jat stir, prompting the Government to order shutting of all schools on Monday and rationing of water.

Haryana DGP Yashpal Singhal had said yesterday that their first priority was to restore Delhi's water supply from Akbarpur Barota point in Sonipat. Haryana's Additional Chief Secretary (Home) P K Das had told reporters on Sunday that they were facing difficulty in evicting protesters from the Munak Canal and had temporarily suspended the efforts to evict them as the situation could turn volatile.

However, after the BJP announced to set up a committee to examine the quota demand for the community yesterday, fresh attempts were made to persuade the protesters to vacate the canal area.

PTI