New Delhi, March 17: Delhi officials have approached Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to negotiate increased water releases as the city prepares for a projected 260 MGD deficit during the upcoming heatwave months. The proposal hinges on a water exchange model where Delhi would provide treated effluent for agricultural use in exchange for the raw water necessary for its treatment plants.
The Delhi Jal Board currently operates nine treatment plants supplying 864 MGD, supplemented by groundwater extraction. However, the infrastructure is strained by transmission inefficiencies. Water Minister Parvesh Verma affirmed that significant water is lost during the journey from Haryana, further widening the demand-supply gap.
“Delhi should receive the total water it is allocated, excluding transmission losses,” Verma maintained. He stated that the administration is urging neighboring governments to prioritize the repair of essential canal infrastructure to prevent wastage.
Internal reports indicate that the city is specifically seeking 270 cusecs from Uttar Pradesh and the fulfillment of an older 51-cusec allocation from Haryana originally intended for irrigation. These sources are considered vital for the newly constructed plants at Dwarka and Chandrawal, which require at least 70 to 80 MGD to begin phased operations.
According to a senior DJB official, the Munak Canal remains the city’s lifeline, channeling over 1,000 cusecs daily. The official asserted that the ongoing dialogue with Haryana is progress-oriented, noting that senior representatives in Chandigarh have expressed a readiness to review Delhi’s requirements.
