 "Delhi water crisis: Supreme Court asks Himachal to release surplus water")
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Himachal Pradesh government to release 137 cusecs of surplus water to combat Delhi’s water shortage.
The top court noted that the Himachal Pradesh government has agreed to this release and directed the Haryana government to ensure the water is facilitated through the Wazirabad barrage.
The court asked the Himachal government to notify Haryana in advance of the water release. The SC also cautioned the Delhi government against wasting water.
Last week, the Delhi government appealed to the Supreme Court for additional water supply from neighbouring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. Amid intense heat, the national capital is experiencing severe water scarcity.
AAP measures to combat Delhi water crisis
The AAP-led Delhi government has implemented strict measures to prevent water wastage during the crisis, including a fine of Rs 2,000 for anyone found wasting water.
Authorities have been directed to disconnect any “illegal water connection on construction sites or commercial establishments.”
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Delhi water minister Atishi stated last month that the heatwave had increased water demand while the water level of the Yamuna river had decreased. She noted that while the water level at the Wazirabad pond was 674.5 feet last year, only 671 feet of water had been released this year despite multiple requests.
On May 30, the AAP government established a central control room under an IAS officer. Atishi also announced a helpline number ‘1916’, for residents to request water tankers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who returned to Tihar Jail on June 2, had appealed to the BJP to persuade its governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to release water for the national capital.
“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 (formerly Twitter).
Why is Delhi facing a water shortage this summer?
Delhi primarily relies on its neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to meet about 90 per cent of its drinking water demand. According to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the capital’s raw water supply comes from four main sources — 40 per cent from the Yamuna, sourced through Haryana; 25 per cent from the Ganga; 22 per cent from the Bhakra Nangal Dam; and the remaining 13 per cent from subsurface sources such as ranney wells and tube-wells.
This water is treated at nine water treatment plants (WTP) and distributed across the city through a 15,473 km long pipeline network and underground water reservoirs.
The DJB’s Summer Bulletin revealed that Delhi’s total water production from May 21 to May 31 fluctuated between 977.79 and 993.76 million gallons per day (MGD). However, this is significantly short of the daily demand of 1,290 MGD, or 60 gallons per capita. Additionally, water quality is a concern in some areas, with high ammonia levels (over 2.5 ppm) and toxic waste from industrial drains contaminating the Yamuna.
Despite oversight by pollution control boards and interventions by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Yamuna remains one of India’s most polluted rivers, severely affecting Delhi’s clean water supply.