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Supreme Court orders status quo on water supply to Delhi
The Nangal Hydel Channel supplies 232 million gallons of water a day to Delhi. Closure of the two gates supplying water to the Capital will lead to a 25 per cent shortage, said DJB’s petition filed through advocate Gautam Narayan.
Noting that the right to drinking water is a fundamental right, the Supreme Court on Thursday cut short any attempt by Punjab and Haryana governments and the central agency of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to curtail supply of water to Delhi on account of repair work of the Bhakra Nangal channel.
Anticipating a water scarcity, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had rushed to the Supreme Court to seek stay of any repair work undertaken by the BBMB in the months of April and May. “We have no problem with the repairs being carried out. But do not touch it in April when there is a peak demand of water in the city,” senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted for DJB. The Nangal Hydel Channel supplies 232 million gallons of water a day to Delhi. Closure of the two gates supplying water to the Capital will lead to a 25 per cent shortage, said DJB’s petition filed through advocate Gautam Narayan.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde noted that the matter was “serious” and issued notice to Punjab, Haryana and BBMB seeking their responses within a day. “The respondents are directed to maintain status quo on supply of water to Delhi till tomorrow i.e. 26th March,” added the bench, also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.
This is the second petition by DJB before the top court. Earlier, the Jal Board filed a petition accusing Haryana Government for releasing untreated water into Yamuna leading to high ammonia levels in water that posed a health hazard to denizens.
The Haryana government had disputed this position and claimed that the problem was at Delhi’s end. On Thursday, the Delhi government again accused Haryana of supplying less water to Delhi. Senior advocate Vikas Singh who appeared for Delhi told the Court that the water level at Wazirabad barrage that supplies water to Wazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawal water treatment plants had reduced by six feet. For Haryana, senior advocate Shyam Divan contradicted the statement and claimed that not a single drop was being withheld from Delhi. Singh urged the Court to consider sending a Court commissioner for an on-the-spot verification.
The bench said, “Since it’s a matter of fundamental right to water we will not entertain any technical objections and if required we may appoint a commissioner to visit the spot.”
Over the past few months, DJB had written six letters to Punjab, Haryana and BBMB citing postponement of repairs of the Hydel channel to the monsoon months of July-August but received no response. Top officers of DJB had even visited Punjab in this connection. The bench wished to know the nature of repairs being carried out. “If repair is integral to the water channel, we won’t stop them,” bench said. Singhvi assured that the repairs can be carried out later as well and requested for a stay till the matter is taken up.
