SOURCE ; NEW18
Last Updated:May 16, 2025, 10:49 IST
Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the old water supply system is being overhauled to ensure fair distribution based on population
Delhi’s total water requirement is about 1,290 MGD, which increases during the summer months. (Representative/PTI)
Amid soaring temperatures, the water crisis has deepened across several parts of Delhi. In response, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s government has launched a major initiative to tackle the issue. Water Minister Parvesh Verma announced that the government will ensure equitable distribution of water across all Assembly constituencies, based on their population.
The decision comes in the wake of a recent report by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which revealed stark disparities in water distribution across the city. A survey of all 70 Assembly constituencies found that several densely populated areas were receiving inadequate water supply, while some less populated regions were getting disproportionately more.
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For instance, Karawal Nagar, with a population of 5 lakh, receives just 4.7 million gallons of water daily—only 42.73 litres per person. Similarly, Badli, home to 5.5 lakh people, gets 6.5 million gallons per day, translating to 53.73 litres per capita. Burari, with approximately 9 lakh residents, receives 12.5 million gallons daily, or 63.14 litres per person. In Kirari, 6.6 lakh people share 8.5 million gallons, amounting to 58.55 litres per capita.
In stark contrast, several less populated areas enjoy significantly higher per capita water supply. Rohini, with 2.75 lakh residents, receives 13.73 million gallons daily—227.3 litres per person. Matia Mahal (2.58 lakh population) gets 216.73 litres per capita, Chandni Chowk (2.1 lakh) receives 214.31 litres, and Rajendra Nagar (2.4 lakh) gets 200.78 litres per person.
Minister Verma reported receiving numerous complaints about water supply issues and instructed a survey to determine the water distribution in each constituency.
Attributing the current water imbalance to decisions made by the previous administration under the influence of certain powerful MLAs, Verma emphasised that no pressure would be tolerated now, and water distribution would be based on the population needs of each constituency.
“This supply pattern was established during the previous government in Delhi. The new BJP government in Delhi is changing this and ensuring that each area of the city receives water supply according to its population,” the minister was quoted as saying by PTI.
“There is no way any pressure will be tolerated now and each constituency will receive water as per the need of its population,” Verma asserted.
PTI reported that Verma has directed officials to take strict action against illegal tapping into the Delhi Jal Board’s (DJB) main pipeline network.
“So, far 100 illegal tapping points through mainlines have been found and action taken against some powerful people involved in it. This way, stealing of nearly 30-40 MGD of water per day, has now been stopped,” the minister was quoted as saying by PTI..
Highlighting the changes under the new BJP government in Delhi, Verma stated that the water supply pattern established by the previous government is being reformed to ensure equitable distribution according to each area’s population.
According to the PTI report, the Delhi Jal Board’s command centres have been instructed to channel water directly from treatment plants to underground reservoirs, ensuring that distribution aligns with the population needs.
Delhi’s total water requirement is about 1,290 million gallons daily (MGD), which increases during the summer months. However, the capital currently produces only between 990 and 1,000 MGD of water.
As a landlocked city, Delhi largely depends on raw river water supplies from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with groundwater extraction. The Delhi Jal Board has approximately 27 lakh registered consumers.
Water allocation to Delhi relies on a 1994 memorandum of understanding among the five basin states—Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh—regarding the Yamuna’s surface water.
According to PTI, since 2020, water production in Delhi has increased from an average of 927 MGD to 990-1,000 MGD in 2024. Nevertheless, the actual volume of water reaching households remains a concern.
The latest Economic Survey of Delhi estimates the city’s average drinking water requirement at 1,290 MGD, which rises during the summer season.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published:
May 16, 2025, 10:49 IST
