Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in ensuring sufficient water supply from Haryana as the national capital stares at a possible water crisis next week.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Kejriwal said the national capital has been receiving 1,133 cusecs of water from Haryana since 1996, but recently, for the first time in 22 years, the neighbouring state has contested Delhi’s right over this water and partially stopped the supply to the national capital.

“The Supreme Court has directed Haryana to keep supplying the earlier quantity of water till May 21, which means the state could reduce water supply after Monday,” he said.

If that happens, it would create an “unprecedented shortage of water” in Delhi and could lead to “serious” law and order situation, the chief minister said.

“I would urge you (PM) to kindly use your good offices to persuade Haryana to continue supplying same level of water that it has been supplying for last 22 years and not to disrupt it till the issue is finally decided by the courts,” Kejriwal said in the letter.

The Chief Minister also wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, saying, “Just two days are left, we need to act fast to prevent a crisis.”

He requested Baijal to talk to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention in the matter if there is no response from Haryana.

In his letter to Modi, the Delhi chief minister said disruption in water supply from Haryana could affect Chandrawal water treatment plant, which supplies water to NDMC areas where Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament, embassies and major establishments like railway stations and hospitals are located.

“In addition to affecting the public at large, any disruption in water supply would affect all these establishments also.

“The Delhi government has already filed an application before Upper Yamuna River Board. However, final adjudication by the board could take some time,” Kejriwal said.

On Thursday, Kejriwal had written to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting to maintain the current level of water supply to Delhi.

The apex court had asked the Delhi government and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to request Haryana for the maintenance of status quo on water supply and directed Haryana to take an independent decision on the matter.

The Haryana government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it would maintain status quo on supply of Yamuna river water to Delhi till May 21.

(With agency inputs)