Water crisis looms large over Agra as summer heat intensifies

April 7, 2024

Agra : Authorities in Agra are on high alert as the supply of water from Ganga through the crucial 140 km pipeline from a canal in Palda, in Bulandshahr district, faces an abrupt disruption.

This disruption has raised alarm about an impending water crisis in the city this summer. Fortunately, authorities have decided to postpone the total shutdown of the supply for technical reasons until after the festivals of Eid and Ramnavmi.

Despite the reprieve, fundamental issues persist ahead of Lok Sabha polls, particularly regarding the state of the Yamuna. As temperatures soar, Agra’s two million residents are gearing up for the struggle for water, as it happens each summer. The demand rises and the supply fails to meet the increasing requirement, primarily due to the neglect of Yamuna. The pipeline from Palda, which supplies approximately 140 cusecs of water, falls short of meeting the demand, putting immense pressure on the city’s waterworks during summer.

President of Agra Civil Society, Anil Sharma said: “Apart from the sorry state of river Yamuna, one reason responsible for the current crisis is the disappearance of water bodies. A quarter century ago, there were more than 500 community ponds in the district, but now only around a hundred are left. The rest have been gobbled up by land sharks, but the state government has not shown any concern.”

As the mercury soars, long queues at hand pumps and residents waiting for municipal water tankers become common. Frustration mounts among locals, who criticise elected representatives for their failure to address the persistent water shortages.

It is not even mid-April and the temperature is currently hovering around 40 degrees Celsius. Parents of school-going children have urged the district administration to change school timings and opt for an early summer vacation.