The National Green Tribunal today deferred till April 19 the hearing on a plea by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) seeking directions to the Haryana government to check the "dangerous level of ammonia" in the Yamuna and ensure availability of sufficient water in the river.
A bench headed by acting NGT chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim adjourned the matter after the tribunal was informed that the Supreme Court was also seized of a similar plea which would come for hearing on April 16.
"It is stated on behalf of the State of Haryana that the Delhi Jal Board has already approached the Supreme Court and the matter would come up for consideration on April 16. Let the outcome of the proceedings before the Supreme Court be informed to this tribunal," the bench said, listing the matter for April 19.
On April 2, the Delhi government had informed the apex court that it was negotiating with Haryana for the release of 450 cusecs of water of the Yamuna river per day for the national capital.
The tribunal had earlier slammed the DJB over its submission that Haryana was responsible for the high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna water being provided to the national capital and observed that the river has been reduced to a sewer line in the city.
Asking the DJB what it has done to clean the river water, the bench had made it clear to the body that it was only concerned with the pollution in the river and would not go into the issue of water sharing dispute between the two states.
Earlier, the tribunal had directed the Haryana government to submit an action plan to address the issue of ammonia and other pollutants in the Yamuna.
The green panel had asked it to file an affidavit stating short and long-term measures which it proposed to combat the pollution in the river.
The NGT had directed the Delhi and Haryana governments to identify and address the sources of pollution in the river.
It had also ordered the Delhi and Haryana governments to hold a meeting to resolve the issue of high ammonia content in the water being provided to the national capital.
The DJB had moved a plea in the tribunal plea alleging high ammonia in water being provided by the Haryana government to Delhi.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had submitted its analysis report of ammonia at Tajewala in Haryana, Wazirabad water treatment plant, Okhla and ITO barrage in Delhi.
Acting on concerns over the health of the people of Delhi, the tribunal had directed the CPCB to analyse the samples of the river water at the four points on the s plea alleging high ammonia content in the water being provided by Haryana to Delhi.
While the DJB had alleged that Haryana was supplying "poisoned sewage water" to the national capital which had 2.6 parts per million of ammonia, the counsel for Haryana had refuted the contention and said there was no breach of any agreement.
The DJB, which supplies water to the city, had approached the tribunal demanding that Haryana be asked to take urgent steps to check the "dangerous level of ammonia" in the Yamuna.
Claiming that the water being released by the state was so polluted that it cannot be treated for drinking, the DJB had said it may cause "a huge and irreparable loss to the citizens of Delhi and has a potential for a grave health crisis and water crisis in the National Capital Region (NCR)".
The petition also claimed that when the water enters Haryana, the ammonia level is nil and very much treatable, whereas when the water enters Delhi, the level is very high.
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