Delhi Water Minister Atishi, who has been tirelessly fighting for the city’s rightful share of water through an indefinite ‘Jal Satyagraha’ for the last five days, has been admitted to the ICU at LNJP Hospital. Her health has severely deteriorated, with her blood sugar level plummeting to a perilous 36. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh shared this news, explaining that doctors had warned her life was in danger, necessitating immediate hospitalization. The hunger strike, a testament to her unwavering dedication, has now been forced to stop as she battles for her life. We all wish her a speedy recovery.
The BJP-led Haryana government has withheld 100 million gallons of water daily for the past three weeks, leaving 28 lakh Delhiites parched. Despite Atishi’s relentless efforts and her courageous hunger strike, a resolution remains elusive. The AAP is not giving up; they plan to write to the Prime Minister and raise the issue in Parliament. The Delhi LG has also spoken to the Haryana CM. Atishi’s sacrifice highlights the urgent need for a solution to this critical crisis.
On Tuesday morning, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh held a press conference at the party headquarters and said that Delhi’s water minister Atishi has been on an indefinite hunger strike for almost 5 days. She had only one demand that Delhi’s rightful water, equal to the water used by approximately 28 lakh people, should be given to Delhi. As per our agreement with the Haryana government, Delhi should get 613 MGD of water.
“For almost three weeks since the Lok Sabha election results were declared, Delhi’s water supply has been continuously reduced by 100 MGD due to which Atishi sat on an indefinite hunger strike. Atishi also talked to the Haryana government and the Delhi LG in the meantime. She also wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of the country and requested him not to stop people’s rightful share of water in this scorching heat. She requested him to give Delhi the water of its right. She said that we are not demanding the water of Haryana, we are only demanding water which Delhi is entitled to, the quota fixed for Delhi. But her appeals, her cries were not heard anywhere,” he said.
The senior AAP leader further added that the people of Delhi are constantly struggling with the water crisis in this scorching heat. You will not believe that the water quota of Delhi was determined in 1994 when the population of Delhi was around 1.25 crore. Today, the population of Delhi is more than 3 crore. Even in 1994, Delhi’s water quota was 1005 MGD, and after 30 years when the population increased by 3 times, even then Delhi’s water quota is 1005 MGD.
Addressing the BJP leaders, the AAP Rajya Sabha MP stated, “Prime Minister of India or the people of BJP, please tell me some such method by which water can be produced? We are not even getting our fixed quota of water, which is already much less than the population requirement, so tell me how can water demand be met in Delhi? How can we provide sufficient water to the people of Delhi when we do not get water at all?”
“In the last 9 years, Delhi’s Kejriwal government laid 12,000 kilometres of new pipelines. To prevent wastage of water inside the canal, the Delhi Government spent ₹500 crores to get it strengthened. We made as many efforts as we could. We tried every possible way so that the people of Delhi could get sufficient water,” he added.
Lashing out at the BJP for betraying Delhiites, Sanjay Singh stated, “What is the enmity that the BJP is having with the people of Delhi? Just because the people of Delhi made the Prime Minister win all the 7 seats in Delhi? Because they elected Union ministers from Delhi? Is this the crime of the people of Delhi? For the last 3 times consecutively, the people of Delhi have been electing all the 7 MPs from the BJP.”
The Rajya Sabha MP said that Atishi had been sitting without food for the last 5 days regarding these questions. Her condition was continuously getting worse. The doctors were telling her repeatedly that she should break her fast. But last night, suddenly her condition started worsening further. First, she was examined by the doctors of LNJP in the evening, then her blood sample was checked in both LNJP and Apollo Hospital, and her sugar level came out to be 43, which is extremely low.
Informing about Atishi’s deteriorating health conditions, Sanjay Singh stated that at around 1:30 am, the doctors at LNJP were again told that the blood sugar level was 43. Doctors repeatedly said that Atishi’s blood sugar needs to be monitored regularly. Her sugar level in the glucometer finally dropped down to 36. The doctors’ advice was that under any circumstances, she should be immediately admitted to the hospital otherwise Atishi’s life would be at risk.
“Finally, all of us party people discussed among ourselves and at around 3:30 in the night, she was admitted to LNJP and admitted to the ICU. Atishi is still admitted to the ICU of LNJP. Her condition was not good at night, doctors are still conducting her tests and check-ups. We all pray to God that Atishi gets out of the ICU soon and her health improves. The doctors of LNJP are taking care of her,” the AAP MP informed.
Sanjay Singh further stated that today we all are writing a letter to the Prime Minister of India, requesting him to ensure that the people of Delhi get the water they are entitled to, the water of their right. In the meantime, our representative delegation also met the LG of Delhi and we also requested him to talk to the CM of Haryana and get this problem resolved. On the same day at 4 pm, he spoke to the Chief Minister of Haryana and gave the message through the media and assured that the people of Delhi would get water.
“Considering all these developments, now this ‘Jal Satyagraha’ is being given a break. But all the opposition parties together will raise the problem of water inside the Parliament. The weather is also fine, it has also rained so I hope that the situation will get better now. Now the water level will also rise slowly and the situation will improve, I hope,” Sanjay Singh stated.
At the same time, AAP Rajya Sabha member N. D. Gupta said that this is not only the plea of the AAP, but of every Delhiite that Haryana and the Central government should give Delhi its rightful share of water. The month of ‘Jeth’ is very holy, it was in this month that Ganga ji descended on earth, so that people do not remain thirsty. On Nirjala Ekadashi, people set up water stalls at various places. But the LG of Delhi and the BJP government of the Center and Haryana, ignoring all these things, made the people of Delhi yearn for water. The people of Delhi are demanding their rightful share of water. Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are ready to give water since their borders do not touch Delhi. Therefore, this water can come to Delhi only through Haryana. But Haryana is not allowing this water to come to Delhi.
He added, “Water minister Atishi was on an indefinite fast to provide water to the people of Delhi. Today her condition is critical, due to which she has been admitted to the ICU. We are writing a letter to the Prime Minister. We hope that this problem will be solved in the coming time. The weather has been getting better since the day of the fast. In some time, the quantity of water will improve due to good rain. Our request to the Central and Haryana Governments is that they should give up their stubbornness and give the people of Delhi their share of water.”
LNJP doctors said, Atishi’s blood sugar dropped to 36, increasing the risk of hypoglycemia
Doctors of LNJP hospital who are checking the health of Water Minister Atishi say that Atishi was brought to the emergency at 3:48 am on Tuesday. When we tested her, her blood sugar was found to be very low. Because of this, she has been kept in the ICU. When Atishi was admitted to the hospital, her blood sugar was 44. There were ketones in the urine. Changes have also been found in her ECG. Therefore, she had to be kept in the ICU. On Monday evening also, a team of doctors from LNJP visited the hunger strike site and tested her health. Even at that time, her blood sugar level was very low and she was advised to be admitted to the hospital. But she told us in writing that she did not want to be admitted to the hospital. After this, we took her blood sample from the brain, the report of which came at 10 pm. After seeing the report, we told her that the blood sugar level has gone down to a very dangerous level. This can be dangerous.
“Even after that, she asked to wait. But our doctors advised her to get admitted immediately. After being admitted to the ICU this morning, all her parameters are fine. A team of doctors is constantly monitoring her. Currently, her condition is stable. She is eating fruits. Some more blood tests will be done now. Now there is no danger, but the blood sugar is very low, which has dropped to 36. This is a symptom of very severe hypoglycemia. Her sodium level had also decreased significantly. Her sodium was 127. When the sugar level becomes very low, it affects the brain and the patient goes into hypoglycemia,” the doctors said.
