Jal board may move SC over less water to Capital from Haryana

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board may approach the Supreme Court against Haryana for supplying lesser quantity of water than what is allocated to the national capital, a DJB member privy to the matter said.

“The volume being sent is far below Delhi’s rightful share of 1,049 cusec (cubic feet per second). On Thursday, there was slight improvement in the water supplied. But again on Friday, Haryana has reduced supply. We are assessing the situation. This time, we will approach the SC,” the member said.

Since January 30, DJB has been facing problems in treating water as the three plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Haidarpur have not been running at full capacity, which the utility has claimed was due to high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna and, now, because of the lesser quantity of water.

Of the 900 million gallons of water distributed in Delhi daily, nearly 60% comes from Haryana through the Yamuna.

The affected areas by the water crisis are west, north, central Delhi, parts of south Delhi, including the Delhi Cantonment and NDMC areas.

On Tuesday, Delhi HC told Haryana government that it has to follow its 2014 order that directs the state to supply 719 cusecs per day in the Munak canal and 330 cusecs per day in the Delhi sub-branch canal every day. After the HC order, the volume of water coming from Haryana increased from 800 cusecs on Tuesday to 930 cusecs on Wednesday and 1040 cusecs on Thursday. It, however, decreased to 950 cusecs on Friday.

Haryana government official said on condition of anonymity that the state was supplying allocated water as per the submission in Delhi High Court on Tuesday.

OF THE 900 MILLION GALLONS WATER DISTRIBUTED IN DELHI DAILY, NEARLY 60% COMES FROM HARYANA THROUGH THE YAMUNA