Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has found herself at the centre of a political controversy after attributing part of the capital's ongoing water shortage to evaporation caused by intense summer heat.

Addressing a BJP event, Gupta spoke about the challenges Delhi residents are facing amid soaring temperatures and rising water demand.

She suggested that extreme heat was contributing to the shortage by causing some of the supplied water to evaporate before reaching consumers.

“Pani ki kitni dikkat ho rahi hai. Jab itni bhari garmi ho rahi hai, pani jo aata hai wo evaporate ho jata hai beech me kuch pani, to uske karan shortage ho jati hai,” Gupta said.

(‘People are facing a severe water shortage. When the heat is so intense, some of the water that is supplied evaporates on the way. Because of that, a shortage occurs’.)

A video of her remarks quickly gained traction on social media, drawing criticism from opposition leaders and activists.

Several critics questioned the scientific basis of the explanation, with some mocking the Chief Minister's comments online.

Former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj was among those who challenged Gupta's statement, while Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak said the remarks reflected a lack of understanding of the issue.

Advocate and activist Prashant Bhushan also took a swipe at the Chief Minister, sharing the clip on social media and ridiculing the explanation.

Experts note that evaporation can lead to some water loss, particularly from reservoirs, canals and other open water bodies during periods of extreme heat.

Higher temperatures generally increase evaporation rates, reducing available water resources.

However, large-scale urban water shortages are typically caused by a combination of factors, including growing demand, supply constraints, ageing infrastructure, leakages in distribution networks, groundwater depletion and unequal water distribution across different areas.