Protesting Jat leaders, who had stopped water supply from here to Delhi demanding reservation in government jobs, today suspended their agitation after talks with government officials.

The agitation by Akhil Bharatiya Jat Sangarsh Samiti (ABJSS) in Muradnagar in Ghaziabad since last night had hit water supply across the national capital from the Upper Ganga Canal.

Almost all areas in South and East Delhi faced cuts in water supply due to the agitation by local BKU and Lok Dal leaders, Jal Board officials in Delhi said.

District Magistrate R Ramesh Kumar said that full water supply to Delhi will be restored in a day or two as two keys at the waterworks have been damaged by the protestors.

He told PTI that ABJSS leader Choudhary Yashpal Malik agreed to suspend the agitation after talks with representatives of the Central and state governments.

Officials said that the protesting leaders will hold detailed talks with the government representatives on the demand for reservation in government jobs and in higher education as also amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, to ban same gotra weddings in the Jat community.

Malik said that the agitation would be resumed if the talks failed to find a way out in a day or two.

The District Magistrate made it clear that security forces would remain deployed at the waterworks and nobody would be allowed to take the law into their hands.

Two major water treatment plants, Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi, which get water from the Upper Ganga canal, could not function this morning due to non-supply of water. They cater to 40 per cent water requirements of Delhi.

Irrigation department said that water supply to Delhi may remain suspended for two days as the waterworks would need some repairs. Water, once released, takes at least five hours to reach Delhi.

Meanwhile, a burst in a major pipeline in Haiderpur also resulted in water cut in Palam and other neighbouring areas.

The pipeline burst yesterday and Delhi Jal Board engineers were working to restore the water supply, a senior DJB official said.

Earlier report:

Delhi seeks Centre's intervention as water crisis mounts

As the national capital reels under water crisis after Jat leaders in UP stopped water supply from the Upper Ganga canal, Delhi government today sought the Centre's intervention to tide over the problem.

The city government has also requested the Haryana government to supply water to Sonia Vihar water treatment plant from the Wazirabad pond in the neighbouring state.

Members of Jat community led by local BKU and Lok Dal leaders have blocked water supply near Muradnagar to two water treatment plants in Delhi demanding quota in government jobs and higher education.

"The Central government has been requested to look into the matter as it is an inter-state issue," additional chief executive officer of Delhi Jal Board Santosh Vaidya told PTI.

He said the issue has been raised by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit with her counterpart in Haryana for release of water from Haryana to Delhi.

"The DJB has pressed into service 1100 tankers in the city to provide water to the people. We are also resorting to water rationing under which water would be diverted from West and North Delhi to the affected areas," he said.

Earlier report:

Delhi faces water crisis due to agitation by Jats

Several areas across the national capital today faced water crisis after Jat leaders demanding reservation in government jobs stopped water supply to the city from the Upper Ganga canal in Uttar Pradesh.

Almost all areas in South and East Delhi faced cut in water supply due to the agitation by local BKU and Lok Dal leaders in Muradnagar in Ghaziabad district.

A top Delhi government official said city government is in touch with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh to restore water supply to the capital.

Two major water treatment plants, Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi, which get water from the Upper Ganga canal, could not function due to non-supply of water. They cater to 40 per cent water requirements of the city.

Leaders of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Sangarsh Samiti (ABJSS) had suspended the water supply from the Upper Ganga Canal in Muradnagar, 25 km from here, last night.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at the agitation site where the protestors took away the keys of the waterworks and threw them into the canal.

District Magistrate R Ramesh Kumar told PTI that he has informed the UP and Delhi Governments about the agitation.

ABJSS President Chaudhry Yashpal Malik said his group was demanding reservation in higher education and employment in both public and private sectors and also amendment in the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, to ban same gotra weddings in the Jat community.

Government had sent technicians to survey the waterworks but the protestors did not allow them to enter the area.

Irrigation department said that water supply to Delhi may remain suspended for two days as the waterworks would need some repairs. Water, once released, takes at least five hours to reach Delhi.

Malik threatened that if their demands were not met, they will stop the supply of milk, vegetables and other food items to the capital.

Meanwhile, a burst in a major pipeline in Haiderpur also resulted in water cut in Palam and other neighbouring areas.

The pipeline burst yesterday and Delhi Jal Board engineers were working to restore the water supply, a senior DJB official said.