New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Thursday remarked that the acute shortage of drinking water in Delhi has become an existential problem. Along with this, the apex court directed Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of additional water for Delhi on Friday and Haryana to help in transporting it to Delhi so that water reaches Delhi uninterrupted and drinking water is available to the citizens.

There should be no politics on water

The court also said that there should be no politics on water. The vacation bench of Justice PK Mishra and Justice KV Vishwanathan said that Himachal Pradesh is ready to release 137 cusecs of additional water available with it for Delhi. One cusec (cubic feet per second) of water is equal to the flow of 28.317 liters per second.

The water will reach Delhi via Hathinikund Barrage and Wazirabad

The bench said, since Himachal Pradesh has no objection and is ready and willing to release the excess water available with it, hence we direct that Himachal Pradesh shall release 137 cusecs of water from the excess water available with it so that the water can reach Delhi via Hathinikund Barrage and Wazirabad.

Considering the urgency of the matter, the bench directed Himachal Pradesh to release water on June 7 by giving prior notice to Haryana. It also said that the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) will further measure the amount of excess water reaching Hathinikund for supply to Wazirabad and Delhi.

Also asked the Delhi government to ensure that the water provided for parched Delhi is not wasted. The Supreme Court said that the respondents including the Delhi government and Haryana and Himachal Pradesh will file their compliance affidavits by Monday.

Himachal said, there is no objection in giving water

Onkar Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Jal Shakti Department said that we have not seen the Supreme Court's order. Himachal Pradesh is already releasing 137 cusecs of water as per the conditions laid down in the MoU and will continue to do so. We have neither opposed giving water to Delhi in the past nor will we oppose it in the future.

A day before, in the meeting of Upper Yamuna Board held in Delhi on Wednesday, Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti Department Anju Sharma had said that Himachal has no objection in releasing water. Box-2 Haryana said, will cooperate in sending water to Delhi Haryana's Minister of State for Water Resources and Irrigation Dr. Abhay Singh Yadav said that we are ready to comply with the order of the Supreme Court.

Haryana will provide full support in reaching Delhi

Haryana will fully cooperate in supplying the 137 cusecs of water provided by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi. He also expressed a threat. He said that till now Haryana has been supplying its share of water to Delhi through the Western Yamuna Canal. Water reaches Narnaul and Dadri through this canal.

Bringing the full quantity of water to Delhi is no less than a challenge

It is feared that when Himachal Pradesh will pour additional water into Hathinikund Barrage, Haryana will not have enough space in its canal to make arrangements to safely transport the additional water to Delhi. Transporting this entire quantity of water to Delhi is no less than a challenge. Therefore, if Delhi has any other safe means, it should obtain the water. Haryana will fully cooperate in that too.