SC asks Centre to address Delhi water crisis
In response to a plea from the Delhi government, the Supreme Court on Monday called for an urgent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board on June 5. The plea seeks a directive for Haryana to release surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi—aiming to alleviate the ongoing water crisis in the capital. The court will hear Delhi's plea for additional water from Haryana on June 6 and has requested details of the meeting and suggestions on steps taken.
Delhi government pleads for immediate water release
Delhi is currently facing a severe water shortage. The Delhi government approached the Supreme Court on May 31, requesting Haryana to "immediately and continuously release water at the Wazirabad barrage." Delhi's Water Minister, Atishi, has stated that the heatwave has increased water demand while the water level in the Yamuna has decreased. She noted that despite multiple requests, only 671ft of water has been released this year compared to last year's level of 674.5ft at the Wazirabad pond.
Central Control Room to monitor Delhi's water supply
To tackle the crisis, the Delhi government will set up a central control room to monitor city-wide water supply, reports said. This control room will be led by an IAS officer and a helpline number "1916" has been launched for residents to request water tankers. Additionally, in the face of a severe water crisis and an ongoing heatwave, Delhi authorities have imposed a ₹2,000 fine for individuals found wasting water.
Supreme Court hears Delhi's plea for additional water
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and KV Vishwanathan, had heard Delhi's plea for additional water. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing both the Union government and Haryana, presented figures indicating that out of every 100-liter of water supplied to Delhi, residents receive only 48.6-liter. The Supreme Court bench stressed the importance of a non-adversarial approach in resolving the water crisis faced by Delhi residents.
Himachal Pradesh ready to supply excess water
Himachal Pradesh has expressed readiness to provide its excess water to Delhi through canals bringing water to the city via Haryana. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has accused Haryana of withholding Delhi's rightful share of water. In response, the BJP government in Haryana countered this claim, stating that they are supplying Delhi with 1,049cusecs of water from the Yamuna, exceeding the agreed-upon quantity.
