The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of the Delhi government’s plea for surplus water from Himachal Pradesh to June 12. This delay comes as the people of the national capital face a severe water shortage.
A vacation bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Prasanna B Varale expressed their dissatisfaction with the Delhi government’s failure to address defects in its petition, leading to the adjournment.
The bench pointed out that the status report and other necessary affidavits were not on record due to unresolved defects in the petition. They warned the Delhi government’s counsel that if the defects were not rectified, the petition could be dismissed. The justices emphasised the importance of reviewing the case files thoroughly before making any decisions, to avoid being influenced by media coverage.
During the previous hearing on June 6, the Supreme Court had allowed Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of surplus water and directed Haryana to ensure the uninterrupted flow of this water from the Hathnikund barrage to Wazirabad in Delhi.
This decision was intended to alleviate the drinking water crisis in Delhi. The court had also instructed the Upper Yamuna River Board to measure the water released by Himachal Pradesh at Hathnikund and mandated a status report by June 10.
The Delhi government approached the Supreme Court seeking immediate additional water to address the acute shortage exacerbated by the ongoing severe heat conditions in North India.
The petition highlighted that record-high temperatures, reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius in some areas, have caused an extraordinary surge in water demand in Delhi. This has led to frequent supply cuts and disrupted daily life for many residents.
Despite taking all possible administrative measures to optimise and ration water supply, the Delhi government stated that the shortage remains severe. The government proposed a solution involving Himachal Pradesh’s agreement to share its surplus water with Delhi.
However, since Himachal Pradesh does not share a physical boundary with Delhi, the surplus water must be transported through Haryana. The petition noted that Haryana’s cooperation is crucial for transporting the water, which has not been forthcoming.
The Supreme Court’s extension gives the Delhi government additional time to rectify the defects in its petition and secure the necessary cooperation from Haryana.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges in managing water resources and inter-state cooperation in India, especially during extreme weather conditions that exacerbate resource scarcity. The court’s decision will be pivotal in determining how the national capital manages its water crisis in the coming months.
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