Delhi Water Crisis: Residents Queue For Water Tankers Amid Heatwave

The national capital, Delhi, is grappling with a severe water crisis, leaving residents scrambling for water tankers to meet their daily needs. The acute shortage has led to chaotic scenes, with women and children chasing tankers in areas like Chanakyapuri's Sanjay Camp and Geeta Colony.

The widespread water shortage has been exacerbated by the scorching heat, with temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius in some areas. 

Visuals shared by the news agency ANI showed residents waiting in queue with buckets at Sanjay camp in the Chanakyapuri area.

The Delhi government has approached the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Haryana government to release water at the Wazirabad barrage from Himachal Pradesh. The apex court will hear the plea on June 3.

The Delhi government, in its plea, said, “It is constrained to file the petition on account of the acute shortage of water being faced by the people of Delhi, triggered by the ongoing severe heat conditions in North India, particularly in the national capital."

Delhi government stated that these soaring temperatures “have caused an extraordinary and excessive surge in demand for water in the city." 

The government claimed that all administrative measures to ensure optimisation, rationing, and targeted water supply in the national capital have already been taken. However, the situation remains grim, with residents struggling to access clean drinking water.

To mitigate the crisis, the AAP-led Delhi government on Wednesday imposed a fine of  Rs 2,000 on wastage of water and formed 200 teams to enforce the penalty.