Delhi is a landlocked city and receives raw water from neighbouring States. The water is treated at various water treatment plants (WTPs) before being supplied to the residents of the Capital.
Delhi receives water from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. The largest share of water comes from Haryana via the Yamuna through three different channels.
When there is a fall in the amount of raw water Delhi gets from these three States, it affects the water supply in the national capital.
What is the problem?
Since Delhi gets the largest share of water from the Yamuna, it has been a contentious issue for a long time between Delhi and Haryana.
The Yamuna originates in Yamunotri glacier in the Himalayas and travels through Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi before its confluence with the Ganga. The stretch of the river from its origin to Okhla in Delhi is called the “Upper Yamuna”. In 1994, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the five basin States of the Yamuna, including Delhi and Haryana, for sharing of water of upper Yamuna.
In 1995, the Centre formed the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) to regulate allocation of Yamuna water which flows through these States.
However, Delhi and Haryana have been at loggerheads over the allocation of Yamuna water — especially during summers — with Delhi complaining that it is getting less water from Haryana and the latter denying it most times.
Current issue
During the past one week, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which manages water supply in Delhi, has been complaining that it has been getting about 120 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) less raw water from Haryana for the past many days.
DJB Vice Chairperson Raghav Chadha claimed the water released by Haryana is so less that water levels at Wazirabad Barrage, a point along the flow of the Yamuna in Delhi, is the lowest since 1965.
As per the DJB, due to shortage of water, the capacity of Chandrawal WTP has come down to 55 MGD from 90 MGD; Wazirabad WTP to 80 MGD from 135 MGD; and Okhla WTP to 12 MGD from 20 MGD.
What now?
The issue is expected to be settled shortly as Haryana has released about 1800 cusecs of water for 24 hours on Sunday, as per DJB officials.
It takes about two to three days for this water to reach Delhi and it is expected to solve the current water issue. On Sunday, Haryana released more water and the shortfall in Delhi’s share has dropped to 65 MGD from 120 MGD, as per DJB officials.
