Delhi, Haryana CMs discuss issues linked to raw water supply during summer

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Stable raw Yamuna water supply and steps for river pollution prevention topped agenda as Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met her Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini at Delhi Secretariat on Thursday, said an official source.

CM Gupta, who was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Ashish Sood and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, also discussed the issue of the flow of raw Yamuna water for uninterrupted water treatment and supply in Delhi.

Later, Saini told reporters that the disruption of raw water supply to both Haryana and Delhi had been threatened by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab.

The people are watching them, said Saini, hitting out at the AAP government for indulging in politics over water during summer.

The meeting came on a day when Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed progress on installing 32 real-time water quality monitoring stations.

Chairing a high-level meeting, HM Shah directed a holistic approach to clean the Yamuna, ensure drinking water supply, and improve sewage systems in Delhi.

An official source said that 10 water quality monitoring stations shall be set up on the Yamuna while the remaining 22 stations shall monitor the water quality in major drains falling into the river.

The water monitoring station sites for the river will include Okhla Barrage, ITO Bridge, Palla, ISBT Bridge and Nizamuddin Bridge.

The meeting chaired by HM Shah was attended by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Home Secretary, Secretaries of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Ministry of Jal Shakti, Delhi’s Chief Secretary, and several senior officials from the Central and Delhi Governments.

HM Shah said that the Ministry of Jal Shakti should develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), establishing standards for their quality, maintenance, and discharge.

He emphasised that this SOP should also be shared with other states.

HM Shah stressed that plans for the Yamuna, drinking water, and drainage in Delhi should be made with a 20-year vision.

He highlighted the crucial role of the Delhi Jal Board in cleaning the Yamuna and emphasised the need to strengthen it, directing the immediate filling of vacant posts in the Board.

The Home Minister underscored the need to enhance Delhi’s water distribution efficiency, stating that effective water management is essential to ensure drinking water supply across the city.

He said, for water supply in Delhi, the Jal Board should strengthen the water distribution structure along with preventing leakage in the pipelines.

HM Shah also emphasised the use of world-class technology for desilting drains.

--IANS

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