Order Haryana to release water: Delhi appeals to Supreme Court

Satya Prakash

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New Delhi, May 31

Amid scorching heatwave conditions, the Delhi Government has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to immediately release more water to tackle the water crisis in the national capital.

Reciprocal obligation

Noting that the national capital was home to a large number of migrants from across the country, including neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the Delhi Government said there’s reciprocal obligation on Haryana to assist Delhi in resolving its water and sanitation crisis.

Stating that Himachal had agreed to share its surplus water with Delhi, the Arvind Kejriwal government pointed out that Himachal did not share a physical boundary with the national capital and, thus, the water was required to be routed through the existing water channels or river systems in Haryana, to be eventually released to Delhi at the Wazirabad barrage.

“Due to this increased demand, which will continue till the end of June, which is when the monsoon begins in the NCT, the water levels of the Wazirabad barrage have been critically reduced, which has resulted in water shortage, putting the health and well-being of the 25 million residents of the NCT of Delhi at grave risk,” the Delhi Government submitted.

“It is also necessary to point out that at present, the water levels in the Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi barrages, which constitute the other primary sources of water for the NCT of Delhi, are operating at their optimum level and meet the stipulated standards, therefore, any increase in water supply can only be considered at the Wazirabad barrage,” it said.

“This unprecedented surge in temperature, during the dry and arid summer, has triggered an extraordinary and excessive demand for water, which is not being met by supply from the neighbouring states, thereby precipitating a full-fledged water and sanitation crisis,” the Delhi Government said, adding, “It’s everyone’s responsibility to fulfil the needs of the country’s capital.” It sought to emphasise that “access to water is one of the basic human rights and an essential component of guarantee of dignity and quality of life.”