The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has urged the High Court here that the Centre be asked to supervise water supply from Haryana to the national capital, saying any reduction in Wazirabad reservoir water level would hit important areas where residences of the President, Prime Minister and judges are located.
Citing the coming lean season, the DJB has contended that “an imminent water crisis is likely to hit New Delhi in the next few weeks owing to the failure of state of Haryana to supply water as required pursuant to orders of the Supreme Court“.
The Board has contended that the issue of water supply assumes importance in the long lean season till the arrival of monsoon and Haryana ought to strictly comply with the Supreme Court’s direction to keep the Wazirabad reservoir full during this period.
In its affidavit placed on record before a Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A.J. Bhambhani, the DJB has contended that the neighbouring State was “showing reluctance” to supply the minimum required 120 cusec of water to keep the Wazirabad reservoir full at all times that amounts to disobedience of judicial orders.
“As an interim measure, at least for the coming lean season of about 100 days, the Central Government supervision be requested in the matter,” it has said in the affidavit.
The DJB has further claimed that Haryana has about 22,000 cusecs of water available to it from all sources, but still it was reluctant to supply the 120 cusecs required to keep the Wazirabad reservoir full at all times during the lean season till the end of June or till the monsoon arrives.
A cusec is a unit of flow of water equal to one cubic foot per second.
The DJB has also sought directions from the court for immediate takeover of the canal and channel systems supplying water to river Yamuna, either by the Central Government or a neutral central body.
Haryana, had earlier in its affidavit, claimed that the raw water supply from it to Delhi never gets affected or reduced even in the lean season. It has also said that Delhi should take urgent steps to reduce its losses which are alleged to be 10% during treatment and 30% after that, as residents of Haryana suffer from dearth of water to ensure the national capital does not.
The affidavit by DJB was filed during hearing of a PIL by lawyer S.B. Tripathi seeking sufficient water supply for the national capital.
The High Court had earlier asked the Haryana government to ensure that it releases the entire quantity of water required as per the undertaking given by it to the court.
Haryana has to release 719 cusecs of water per day into Munak canal and 330 cusecs per day in Delhi Sub-Branch Canal, according to the undertaking and earlier court orders.
