Panel to find if bund created on Yamuna

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday formed a committee headed by a retired high court judge to inspect whether bunds have been constructed on the Yamuna leading to blocking of water to the national capital.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani also questioned the “conduct” of Haryana government. The Haryana government had assured the Delhi government of releasing adequate amount of water down the Yamuna and its channels provided Delhi withdraws its pleas against Haryana.

Towards this, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) through standing counsel Sumeet Pushkarna filed an application that in the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) meeting of April 18, Haryana asked Delhi to withdraw cases. “Your (Haryana) conduct is reflected in minutes of meeting. Why did you ask for withdrawal of the plea?”, the bench said.

The plea had stated the DJB is filing this “extraordinary plea” to ensure free flow of water to the national capital.

It said that even though it wants to withdraw its application; it intends to bring the actual facts and actions by the Haryana government as they are also creating bunds on river Yamuna.

On Wednesday, the bench clarified that there should be no disruption or reduction in the amount of water being supplied to the national capital in accordance with an undertaking given by Haryana before the court in December 2014.

A committee, headed by retired high court judge Justice Indermeet Kaur and including amicus curiae Rakesh Khanna, will inspect whether ‘bunds’ have been put in the canals carrying water meant for Wazirabad water treatment plant as claimed by the DJB in its petition.

It also asked the panel to submit its report before the next date of hearing, May 20, and added that further action will be on the basis of the panel’s findings.

Countering the allegations, Haryana said that there is already a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court with regard to ‘bunds’ being put on the canal. It also said that the ‘bunds’ were 200 kilometers away from the Delhi-Haryana border. However, the court did not approve of the submission and asked the committee to submit its report.

The bench directed that the water being supplied to the Wazirabad treatment plant, which caters to most of central Delhi including Lutyens’ zone, should continue in the same quantities as was being done in the past

First Published: May 10, 2019 01:58 IST