Delhi Water Crisis: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the BJP led Haryana government to release the additional surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi in the wake of extreme Heatwave and Delhi water crisis. The court further said that there should be no wastage of water by the Delhi government.
The court also warned the Delhi government to not politicise the issue of water if the Supreme Court passes an order in its favour.
A bench comprising Justices PK Mishra and KV Viswanathan asked the Haryana government to explain why it is objecting to release water when Himachal Pradesh government is sending surplus water to help Delhi in this extreme situation.
Delhi Accuses Haryana Of 'Complete Obstruction' In Releasing Water Sent By Himachal
The counsel appearing for Haryana government contested Himachal's government claim of having surplus water and said that there is no way to measure if surplus water is being released by the Congress led Himachal govt.
On this, counsel appearing for Delhi said that these are false claims by Haryana and they just want to obstruct water supply to Delhi amid water crisis.
In the previous hearing the top court asked for an urgent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board and directed it to submit the steps to address the issue. The Yamuna Board meeting report noted that Delhi was suffering from acute water shortage and Himachal had 137 cusecs of extra water and thus directed the Delhi government to write to Haryana government to release surplus water sent by Himachal on humanitarian grounds.
The top court today asked what problem Haryana has in releasing surplus water shared by Himachal. The counsel for Haryana said that even his state is suffering from heatwave and water shortage.
The court said that the discussion of Yamuna Board recorded by court reveals that the stakeholders have not disputed that there is an extraordinary heatwave condition and acute shortage of water in Delhi.
"Although, it records that Harayana is also facing heatwave, there is no shortage of drinking water in Haryana," the top court said on Haryana's claim of water shortage.
The bench noted that there is no crisis in Haryana as it is in Delhi with regard to drinking water.
"The shortage of water is not for drinking water but for irrigation in Haryana," the bench noted.
The court recorded the chart submitted by an officer of Jal Shakti Board from Himachal Pradesh that showed that Himachal has excess water.
"The breakup of the surplus water available in Himachal is noted to be 137 cusec between March to June. Since Himachal has no objection to release surplus water, we direct Himachal to release 137 cusec water available to Hathnikund barrage. As and when the surplus water is released the Himachal government should inform Haryana and the same be facilitated by Haryana government to Wazirabad Barrage so water reaches Delhi," the top court passed the order.