Delhi Minister Atishi Ends Hunger Strike As Her Health Worsens; AAP To Explore Other Ways To Solve Water Crisis

Delhi Water Minister Atishi has ended her hunger strike on Tuesday (25 June) after her health deteriorated, leading to her hospitalisation, as per a report by the Hindustan Times.

Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh announced that he will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that Delhi receives its rightful share of water from Haryana.

“The issue will also be raised by AAP and its political allies,” Singh stated during a media briefing.

Atishi began her hunger strike on 21 June amid the Delhi water crisis and was hospitalised early on Tuesday after her blood sugar levels dropped.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party reported that the AAP minister was admitted to the emergency ICU at Lok Nayak Hospital in the national capital.

“Water Minister Atishi's health deteriorates. Her blood sugar level dropped to 43 at midnight and to 36 at 3 am, after which LNJP hospital doctors advised immediate hospitalisation…She has not eaten anything for the last five days and is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the Haryana government to release Delhi's share of water. She's been admitted to the emergency ICU at LNJP. We pray for her speedy recovery,” the party stated in a post on X.

The hospital's medical director, Dr Suresh Kumar, later informed that while Atishi had been in the ICU, her condition was stable.

“Her sugar levels declined and the presence of ketones was detected in her urine. At midnight, as her condition deteriorated and she became drowsy, she was admitted. She is currently stable and in the ICU. Her blood tests are being conducted,” Dr Kumar said.

Residents of Delhi have been struggling with a severe water shortage exacerbated by scorching heat. In this background, Atishi began her hunger strike demanding that the Haryana government increase its water supply to the national capital.

She alleged that since the start of her protest, the BJP government in Haryana had reduced its water supply to Delhi.

According to Atishi, Delhi's water requirement is 1,005 million gallons per day (MGD), of which 613 MGD comes from neighboring Haryana. However, she claimed that Haryana had been sending only 513 MGD of water.