Off the wire
• Purple swamphens found in SW China  • Blast kills 6 civilians in N. Afghanistan  • Aussie gold miner settles class action alleging misleading, deceptive behaviour  • Boao Forum for Asia to focus on new dynamics for world economy  • Lord Buddha's Day marked in Cambodia  • New Zealand's Christchurch marks fifth anniversary of fatal quakes  • Indian stocks open higher  • Fiji's death toll from severe tropical cyclone Winston reaches at least 20  • Australia risks missing climate change commitments: report  • Tokyo stocks reverse losses in morning as yen's retreat lifts exporters  
You are here: 　 Home

Indian army takes over key canal in riot-striken northern state amid capital water shortage

Xinhua, February 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Indian army early on Monday took control of a key canal in riot-striken state Haryana which is a major water supply source for the Indian capital, said officials.

Meanwhile, the death toll of the riot in the northern state has risen to 19, most of them in clashes with police and army, said police.

The army is patrolling Munak canal in Haryana's Sonipat district, after rioters threatened to sabotage water supply lines to the capital, resulting in severe shortage of water.

Efforts were being made to restore the water supply to national capital Delhi, Indo-Asian News Service quoted police sources as saying.

"Thank u army, thank u centre for securing munak canal back. Great relief for delhi," tweeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has ordered the closure of schools and government offices Monday to ration water use.

Reports said that traffic had been restored slowly in some national highways in Haryana after they were blocked by rioters for over one week.

However, protestors continued to block roads and railway tracks at some places on Monday while curfews remain in at least four districts of the state worst affected by violence.

Thousands of people and vehicles were stranded on the road as the protesters laid siege to the highways cutting off road connectivity to Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Indian-controlled Kashmir and Chandigarh through the highway.

Railway officials said that restoration of train traffic could take some more time as the tracks will have to be repaired and inspected thoroughly before plying of trains is allowed. The protesters had uprooted the railway tracks at various places.

Nearly 900 trains were cancelled by the railway authorities in the region due to the Jat agitation.

The Jat caste community started riots across the state one week ago demanding higher quota for central government jobs and education opportunities.

The riots crippled the state which is one of the major concentration of foreign investment in India. Endit