Even as severe water scarcity continues in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh took a U-turn and told the Supreme Court that it did not have surplus water to spare and withdrew its earlier statement. Following this, the apex court, on Thursday, directed the Delhi government to approach the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for water supply.
A vacation bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B. Varale directed the Delhi government to submit an application to the UYRB by 5 pm seeking a supply of water on humanitarian grounds.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Delhi government seeking a direction to Haryana to release the surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh to the national capital to mitigate its water crisis.
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the UYRB had referred to a letter sent to Haryana by Himachal Pradesh in which the hill state said its share of unutilised water was already flowing uninterruptedly to the Hathnikund barrage and that Haryana should release it to Delhi.
"As per above letter, the 137 cusec of unutilised water is already flowing un-interruptedly from the territory of Himachal Pradesh to Tajewala (in Haryana). It therefore emerges that Himachal Pradesh is not releasing any additional water subsequent to the order of the Supreme Court dated 06.06.2024 which could be measured by Upper Yamuna River Board."
"Himachal Pradesh does not have any storage from where it can release the additional water amounting to 137 cusec in pursuance to Supreme Court order and therefore excess water released by Himachal Pradesh for Delhi can only be ascertained using two methodologies which has also been mentioned by Haryana," the affidavit, filed through advocate Brajesh Kumar, stated.
The bench said sharing of Yamuna water between states is a complex and sensitive issue and this court does not have the technical expertise to decide on it even on an interim basis.
"The issue should be left to be considered by the body constituted with the agreement of parties in the memorandum of understanding dated 1994. Since the UYRB has already directed Delhi to submit an application for the supply of water on humanitarian grounds... such an application be made, if not already made, by today by 5 pm, and the board shall convene a meeting tomorrow and take decision in the matter at the earliest," the bench said.
—With agency inputs
