Delhi Minister Atishi on Sunday penned an urgent missive to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, imploring the deployment of law enforcement officers to safeguard pivotal pipelines amidst the burgeoning water crisis turmoil.
“I am compelled to beseech the deployment of police personnel to vigilantly patrol and shield our crucial pipelines for the ensuing fortnight. This measure is imperative to thwart malevolent actors or individuals harboring nefarious intentions from meddling with these vital conduits, which have now become the lifeblood of Delhi. At this critical juncture, any act of sabotage or foul play would exacerbate the already dire water scarcity afflicting the populace of Delhi,” the letter articulated.
The communication further elucidated, “The Delhi Jal Board has established patrolling units for our primary water distribution network, responsible for conveying raw water to the Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) and subsequently from our WTPs to the main subterranean reservoirs across various sectors of the city. Additionally, we have mobilized teams under the aegis of Assistant District Magistrates (ADMs) to bolster this endeavor.”
Atishi revealed that the ground patrolling unit discovered damage to water supply pipelines in several locations. “Yesterday, our ground patrolling unit detected a significant breach in the South Delhi Rising Mains, the principal water pipeline channeling water from the Sonia Vihar WTP to South Delhi. This breach was located near the DTL substation in Garhi Medhu. The patrolling unit found that numerous large 375 mm bolts and one 12-inch bolt had been severed from the pipeline, resulting in the leakage. The deliberate cutting of these large bolts strongly suggests sabotage,” she stated in the letter.
Atishi further noted that the maintenance team labored for six hours to rectify the leakage, exacerbating the water crisis in South Delhi. “Our maintenance team toiled for six continuous hours to mend the leakage. However, this necessitated halting water pumping for the duration, resulting in 20 million gallons of water not being pumped during this interval. Consequently, South Delhi will endure an additional 25 percent water shortage,” the letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner detailed.
Atishi reiterated her plea for the Commissioner to deploy personnel to protect the major pipelines for the next 15 days. “I am reiterating my request for the deployment of police personnel to patrol and protect our major pipelines for the next 15 days. This is crucial to prevent miscreants or individuals with ulterior motives from tampering with our water pipelines, which have now become Delhi’s lifelines. At this juncture, any foul play and sabotage will further deteriorate the already severe water shortage faced by the residents of Delhi,” she emphasized.
AAP’s Saurabh Bhardwaj also contended that the water leakages are being orchestrated deliberately by certain individuals to undermine the pipelines. His comments followed the discovery that several nuts and bolts securing the pipes in South Delhi had been severed, leading to water leakage.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader also called upon the local residents to remain vigilant and monitor for any individuals attempting to tamper with the water pipelines. Speaking to ANI on the issue, Saurabh stated, “Recently, some videos were disseminated by certain individuals showing extensive leakage in Delhi. I do not believe this leakage is natural; I suspect certain individuals are deliberately causing it. Yesterday, several nuts and bolts securing the pipes in South Delhi were found severed. Who cut those six nuts? As a result, the entire South Delhi faced a water shortage.”
He also urged the public to keep a watchful eye on these incidents, alleging that some “enemies of society” are conspiring to sabotage the pipelines. “I implore the public to be vigilant and observant, as certain individuals are conspiring to damage these pipelines. Some people, enemies of society, are plotting to sabotage these vital water conduits,” he added.
