India caste unrest: Water supply 'partially restored' in Delhi

Water supply has been partially restored in the Indian capital, Delhi, where up to 10 million were affected after protesters sabotaged a key canal. The army took control of the Munak canal in neighbouring Haryana state on Monday after Jat community protesters, angry at caste job quotas, seized it.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said the "crisis was still not over" and urged people to use water carefully.

The city's schools, which were closed because of the crisis, have reopened.

Sixteen million people live in Delhi, and around three-fifths of the city's water is supplied by the Munak canal, which runs through Haryana.


The anger of the farming communities Mr Mishra tweeted on Tuesday morning that "some water has been released" from the canal. This had led to the restoration of partial supplies in north and central Delhi, he said.

He said more than 70 water tankers from these areas had been moved to the western part of the city, where partial supplies would be "hopefully" restored by Tuesday evening.

"The supply will be limited till the time the Munak [canal] is totally repaired. The crisis is not yet over. People should use water carefully," he said. Senior water board official Neeraj Semwal told the AFP news agency that four of Delhi's nine water treatment plants were operating, forcing rationing of supplies to many areas.

"We are hoping to restore partial services in the next two to three days and 100% supply within the next 15 days," Mr Semwal said.