No change in water supply for now, directs SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to continue with the status quo on supply of Yamuna water to the national capital till April 6. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said it will take up the matter after the Holi break on April 6. “We had passed order of status quo yesterday. We would like it to continue. Supply of water to Delhi should not be reduced,” said the bench also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

The bench made it clear that the supply should not be reduced to the national capital which is facing a shortage. During the hearing, senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the Delhi Jal Board, claimed that water level has gone down by six feet.

However, senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the Haryana government, said that they had not reduced the water supply to the minutest level. The bench after hearing both sides said that the water levels should be maintained.On Thursday, the bench had issued notices to Haryana, Punjab and BBMB on a plea of Delhi Jal Board, and directed them to maintain status quo in the supply of water to Delhi till a day later. The DJB has moved the Supreme Court stating that 25 per cent of drinking water supply to the capital would be reduced due to the repair works at the gates of Nangal Hydro power project.

The BBMB, a Central government agency, provides 232 million gallons per day (MGD) of raw water to Delhi from the Ravi and Beas rivers, which is around 25 per cent of its total water supply. It had last month announced that repair works of canal will be carried out between March 25 and April 24, and therefore raw water supply to Delhi will remain affected. Earlier this month, Delhi Jal Board vice-chairperson Raghav Chadha had said that Delhi could be staring at an unprecedented water crisis and even a law and order situation with the channel being closed for a month for repairs.

DELHI’s DRINKING PROBLEM

1,100 MGD
Average demand of potable water in Delhi

935 MGD
Supply of potable water by the Delhi Jal Board

232 MGD
expected cut in water supply due to repair works