Delhi water crisis: Supreme Court directs Himachal Pradesh govt to release surplus water

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release surplus water on Friday so that it reaches the national capital "uninterruptedly" and is made available to the Delhiites for drinking purposes.

A bench headed by Justice P.K. Mishra said, "We direct that Himachal Pradesh shall release 137 cusecs of surplus water available with it on Friday so that the water reaches Hathni Kund barrage and reaches Delhi through Wazirabad. As and when surplus water is released with prior information by the state of Himachal Pradesh, the state of Haryana shall facilitate the flow of surplus water so released."

The bench, also comprising Justice K. V. Viswanathan, noted that Himachal Pradesh has no objection to releasing the surplus water available with it.

The apex court said that the Delhi government should adhere to the measures suggested by the Upper Yamuna River Board to prevent wastage of water since there is an acute shortage of drinking water in the national capital.

Posting the matter for further hearing on June 10, it ordered for filing of a status report and compliance affidavits in the meantime.

In an earlier hearing, the top court ordered the river board to convene an urgent meeting on June 5 to address the water crisis in the city, stressing that the problems of scarcity of water for the citizens of Delhi should be properly addressed.

In its petition filed before the apex court, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government demanded that neighbouring states be directed to release extra water for a month to address the extraordinary and excessive water demand of the city triggered by a surge in summer temperatures.

The Upper Yamuna River Board regulates the allocation of surface flow of the Yamuna amongst the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi.