In Photos: No Water, No Relief for Residents of Delhi's Shahbad Dairy

At E and F Blocks of Shahbad Dairy, near Delhi's Rohini, people have been struggling without a water connection.

Residents of Shahbad Dairy, near Delhi's Rohini, don't have a water connection.

(Image altered by The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

Scarcity of water in E and F Blocks of Shahbad Dairy near Delhi's Rohini have left residents in a lurch. This comes as the national capital continues to face a severe water crisis.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

Residents of Shahbad Dairy queue up, clinging to cans and buckets, hoping to fill enough water for their daily consumption from tankers.

A newly married man, who is a daily wage earner and the sole breadwinner of his family, said that his wife often falls sick from carrying water cans every day. As a result, he is compelled to take leave from work and lose his pay for the day.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

The intense heat in Delhi has made matters worse, pressing for the urgent need for access of clean water and a reliable water supply system.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

The acute scarcity of water has been adversely affecting livelihoods. 35-year-old Dhana Devi, who suffers from a disability, spoke about the difficulties she encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. She had to travel 5 to 6 kilometres to fetch water as tankers were not servicing the area then.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

 "The water tanker's unpredictable schedule disrupts not only adults' work routines but also children's education. When children are at tuition or studying, the tanker arrives, forcing them to rush and assist their parents in fetching water," a resident remarked.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

"People are attempting to gather as much water as they can despite being in great distress," says Dhana Devi, a resident.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

Shahabad Dairy's daily activities are crippled by the severe water shortage, putting output and livelihoods in jeopardy.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

35-year-old Pushpa has been living in the Shahbad Dairy slum for more than five years. "The water tanker stays for just 20 minutes, causing chaos as people fight to fill their cans, sometimes even resulting in disputes among those waiting. To avoid this, people place their cans well in advance of the tanker's arrival," Pushpa told us.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

Residents of E and F block Shahbad Dairy have complained several times to the authorities but they haven't found a solution to the problem yet.

(Photo Credit: Shadia and Divya Saini)

(The Quint has reached out to Delhi Jal Board on the issue. Their response is awaited. Story would be updated once a response is received.)

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)