Munak Canal breach affects water supply in parts of Delhi: Atishi

New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) Water Minister Atishi on Thursday said the water supply has been affected in parts of Delhi after a breach in the Munak Canal at Bawana, impacting the water treatment plants in the city.

The water treatment facilities in Dwarka, Hyderpur, Bawana and Nangloi have been adversely affected due to the breach.

Production at the Bawana, Nangloi and Hyderpur plants is expected to normalize by Thursday, while the Dwarka water treatment plant will remain affected, Atishi said.

"The repair work has started on a war footing to plug the breach. We are in regular touch with the Haryana department. After the breach was reported in the CLC embankment, water released into it from Kakroi head was diverted to another sub-branch of the Munak canal," she said.

By diverting canal water to another sub-branch, production at three water treatment plants will return to normal by this evening. However, the Dwarka WTP solely relies on the CLC for water supply. Until water is restored in the CLC, Dwarka WTP will continue to face disruptions. The Jal Board is working towards normalizing water supply to Dwarka by tomorrow evening, she said.

The Munak canal that carries Yamuna water to Delhi is maintained by the Haryana government.

A team of Haryana's Irrigation department is present at the breach site since last night and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) team is also there to provide it any support needed, said the minister.

A report was received regarding the damage in the lining of the Western Yamuna Canal, maintained by the Haryana Irrigation Department, near Bawana in the early morning of July 11, which has resulted in flooding in the adjoining areas of Bawana JJ Colony, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said.

"Water is being drained by temporarily puncturing the existing storm water drain. We are coordinating with NDRF, MCD, SDM Narela, DJB, public representatives and local residents to provide relief from this situation. Resources such as JCBs, dewatering pumps, drinking water tankers and mobile toilets have already been deployed at the location," the DDA said in a statement.

A breach in one of the sub-branches of the Munak Canal, which supplies water from Haryana to Delhi, was reported late Wednesday night, leading to knee-deep waterlogging in several parts of the Bawana area. PTI NSM AS AS