Decoding Delhi-Haryana's bone of contention

Mahesh Tak moved to the water-scarce Dwarka Sector 10 nearly a decade ago. Relief had been promised to him, in the form of water through the Munak CLC.

Mahesh Tak moved to the water-scarce Dwarka Sector 10 nearly a decade ago. Relief had been promised to him, in the form of water through the Munak CLC.

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Banking on additional 80 million gallons per day (MGD) once the Munak concrete-lined channel (CLC) became operational, DJB had built three treatment plants - at Dwarka (capacity 40 MGD), Bawana (20 MGD) and Okhla (20 MGD).

Fast forward to 2012, the Munak CLC has become a bone of contention between Haryana and Delhi over 80 MGD water, which Delhi claims as its share saved due to the concrete lining to avoid ground seepage. Haryana calls the issue non-existent.

Delhi has paid almost Rs. 500 crore to Haryana for the 110km-long canal. Its 80-km Haryana stretch is already operational. But Delhi's portion has been left dry as due to the dispute.

"We have paid for the CLC. So its waters are our right," said a DJB official. Haryana refutes this claim. "It is a non-existent issue," Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had written to Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit three days ago.

But the very quantum of 80MGD is suspect. "There is a formula for calculating losses due to ground seepage and surface evaporation. And it has not been worked out for Munak CLC," said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.

The issue is pending for consideration of Group of Ministers headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram. "The GoM should be able to decide it fast (to) avoid conflicts," said Himanshu Thakkar, an environmentalist.

Haryana is also angry as Delhi has dented the CLC near Haiderpur to join its Dwarka pipeline without its consent. "Haryana has already filed an appeal against the decision by chairperson of Upper Yamuna River Board, allegedly in favour of Delhi. The matter is now before the Upper Yamuna Review Committee," said an official of the board, a regulatory body for Yamuna waters.