Delhi water crisis: Atishi hospitalised after health worsens due to hunger strike

he party said that the blood sugar level of the water minister dropped to 43 units (mg/dL) at midnight and 36 units at 3am, following which she was taken to Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP)

Delhi’s water minister Atishi, who is on an indefinite fast over water shortage in the national Capital, was hospitalised on Tuesday after her health deteriorated, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

Atishi began her hunger strike on June 21. (HT photo)

The party said that the blood sugar level of the water minister dropped to 43 units (mg/dL) at midnight and 36 units at 3am, following which she was taken to Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP).

“Her blood sugar level dropped to 43 at midnight and to 36 at 3am, after which LNJP Hospital doctors advised immediate hospitalisation. She has not eaten anything for the last five days and is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the Haryana government to release Delhi’s share of water. She’s been admitted in the emergency ICU at LNJP. We pray for her speedy recovery”, AAP posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said Atishi was taken to the LNJP hospital around 3:40am.

“It is the fifth day of water minister’s indefinite fast. Her sugar level and blood pressure was falling constantly. She was admitted in emergency and is in the ICU currently. We request the central government to give the rightful water to Delhi as a water minister is forced to sit on hunger strike. She is resting now”, AAP spokesperson Reena Gupta said.

Atishi has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Friday demanding Haryana government to release water from Hathinikund barrage so that Delhi can meet its water supply demands.

The Delhi government has alleged that the Haryana should supply 613 MGD raw water to the national Capital according to its water sharing agreements but 513 MGD raw water is being supplied to Delhi.

Delhi has been facing varying levels of water shortfall over the past month, with the first spell clocked towards the end of May, but the supply resumed to above 1,000MGD in early June.

However, it started falling again from June 8, fluctuating between 900 and 950MGD. It dipped further, hitting the season’s lowest level on June 21, when supply shrank to 888MGD. There has been marginal improvement in the water supply over the last three days. The water supply level according to the Monday bulletin was 913 MGD.

According to the economic survey of Delhi, the city has an estimated water demand of 1,290 MGD and its peak water supply target is 1,000 MGD.

Over the last few weeks, due to the heatwave conditions, Delhi has faced a water supply shortfall mainly attributed to raw water shortage.

Delhi is dependent on neighbouring states to meet 86.5% of its raw water needs.

Haryana has maintained that enough water is being provided according to the water sharing agreements, adding that Delhi should improve its water management.