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Delhi water shortage: Supreme Court directs Himachal to release surplus water
The apex court also warned the Delhi government against wastage of water.
The Supreme Court has directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release 137 cusecs of surplus water on Friday, to help Delhi tide over the water shortage.
The apex court said the Himachal Pradesh government has agreed to release surplus water. It directed the Haryana government to facilitate the release of water through the Wazirabad barrage.
The court asked the Himachal government to release the water after prior intimation to Haryana.
The apex court also warned the Delhi government against wastage of water.
Last week, the Delhi government moved the Supreme Court seeking additional supply of water from neighbouring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
Amid scorching heat, the national capital is currently suffering a crippling scarcity of water.
The AAP-led Delhi government has enforced stringent measures to avoid wastage of water amid the crisis. It has enforced a fine of ₹2,000 “on anyone found wasting water".
It also directed the authorities to disconnect any "illegal water connection on construction sites or commercial establishments”.
Delhi water minister Atishi said last month the heatwave had increased water demand amid a decrease in the water level of the river Yamuna. She said the water level at the Wazirabad pond was 674.5 ft last year, but only 671 ft of water had been released despite multiple requests.
On Monday, the court ordered an urgent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) to address the water scarcity.
On May 30, the AAP government set up a central control room under an IAS officer. Atishi also announced a helpline number, '1916', for residents to request for water tankers.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who returned to Tihar Jail on June 2, had appealed to the BJP to talk to its governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
"If the BJP talks to its governments in Haryana and UP and gets some water for Delhi for a month, then the people of Delhi will greatly appreciate this step of the BJP. Such scorching heat is not in anyone's control. But if we all work together, can we provide relief to the people from this?" Kejriwal had posted on X.
