Delhi Water Crisis: It is a big challenge to transport the water from Himachal to Delhi in full quantity, the Supreme Court said- there should be no politics on the water crisis

The Supreme Court on Thursday remarked that the acute shortage of drinking water in Delhi has become an existential problem. Along with this, the apex court directed Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of additional water for Delhi on Friday and Haryana to help in transporting it to Delhi so that the water reaches Delhi uninterrupted and drinking water is available to the citizens.

There should be no politics on water

The court also said that there should be no politics on water. A vacation bench of Justice PK Mishra and Justice KV Vishwanathan said that Himachal Pradesh is ready to release 137 cusecs of additional water available with it for Delhi. One cusec (cubic feet per second) of water is equal to the flow of 28.317 liters per second.

The water will reach Delhi via Hathinikund Barrage and Wazirabad

The bench said, since Himachal Pradesh has no objection and is ready and willing to release the excess water available with it, we direct that Himachal Pradesh will release 137 cusecs of water from the excess water available with it so that the water can reach Delhi via Hathinikund Barrage and Wazirabad.

Considering the urgency of the matter, the bench directed Himachal Pradesh to release water on June 7 by giving prior notice to Haryana. It also said that the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) will further measure the amount of excess water reaching Hathinikund for supply to Wazirabad and Delhi.

It also asked the Delhi government to ensure that the water received for dry Delhi is not wasted. The Supreme Court said that the respondents including the Delhi government and Haryana and Himachal Pradesh will file their compliance affidavits by Monday.

Himachal said, no objection to giving water

Onkar Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Jal Shakti Department said that we have not seen the order of the Supreme Court. Himachal Pradesh is already releasing 137 cusecs of water as per the conditions laid down in the MoU and will continue to do so in the future as well. We had neither opposed giving water to Delhi earlier nor will we do so in the future.

A day before, in the Upper Yamuna Board meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday, Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti Department Anju Sharma had said that Himachal has no objection to releasing water. Box-2 Haryana said, will cooperate in taking water to Delhi Haryana's Minister of State for Water Resources and Irrigation Dr. Abhay Singh Yadav said that we are ready to comply with the Supreme Court's order.

Haryana will cooperate fully in taking water to Delhi

Haryana will cooperate fully in taking the 137 cusecs of water provided by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi. He also expressed a threat. He said that Haryana has been giving its share of water to Delhi through the Western Yamuna Canal till now. The water reaches Narnaul and Dadri through this canal.

Bringing the full quantity of water to Delhi is no less than a challenge

It is feared that when Himachal Pradesh will pour the extra water into Hathinikund Barrage, Haryana will not have enough space in its canal to make arrangements to safely send the extra water to Delhi. Bringing the full quantity of this water to Delhi is no less than a challenge. Therefore, if Delhi has any other safe means, then it should get the water. Haryana will fully cooperate in that too.