Delhi water crisis: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday asserted that his government has no role to play in alleviating Delhi's growing water scarcity. Sukhu's comment assumes significance as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi recently approached the Supreme Court seeking surplus water from Himachal Pradesh. The national capital has been reeling under acute water shortage over the past few days amid heatwave conditions.
The Delhi government sought the Supreme Court's intervention to direct Haryana to release the surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh to mitigate the water crisis in the national capital. The apex Court on Thursday said that it does not have the technical expertise over the water-sharing issue between states and directed the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) to convene a meeting on Friday with all parties and arrive at a decision.
However, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu claimed that his government has no role to play in the issue. “Whatever water Himachal has, except the water needed by our state, we are ready to give all the water to Delhi or any other state," he stated.
"Himachal Pradesh is a part of this country. If the water has to come through Haryana, then Delhi will have to reach an agreement with the Haryana government. We do not have a say in it,” he added.
The remark came a day after the Himachal Pradesh government told the apex court that it did not have 136 cusecs surplus water, denying its earlier statement.
A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale directed the Delhi government to submit an application seeking water on humanitarian grounds before the UYRB on Thursday.
Delhi Water Minister Atishi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to allege that Haryana has not been releasing Delhi's share of water. Hence, amid a water shortage in the Yamuna River, water production in the national capital is decreasing continuously.
She further noted, "Due to less water reaching Yamuna, water production in Delhi is continuously decreasing. Under normal circumstances, 1005 MGD of water is produced in Delhi, but it has been continuously decreasing since last one week."
The post reads, “Due to reduced production, there is water shortage in many parts of Delhi. Everyone is requested to use water very economically.” According to the data shared by Atishi, water production declined by 9 million gallons per day (MGD) on June 7 and by 12 MGD on June 8 compared with June 6 figures. On June 6, water production stood at 1,002 MGD.
She added, “On June 11, June 12 and June 13, it stood at 919 MGD, 951 MGD and 939 MGD respectively.”
(With agency inputs)
