NEW DELHI: Haryana has said it will be unable to release more water to the national capital, a day after Delhi water minister Atishi requested for it on “humanitarian” grounds in the middle of a crippling heatwave.
A team of three senior Delhi officials — additional chief secretary (urban development) Manish Gupta, Delhi Jal Board chief executive officer A Anbarasu, and DJB chief engineer (nodal), SL Meena — met Haryana’s principal secretary (water resources) on Tuesday in Chandigarh to discuss the current water crisis in Delhi.
Delhi wanted an additional 137 cusecs to be released from Haryana,as initially promised by Himachal Pradesh. The office of the water minister said Delhi govt’s delegation solicited the release of the additional water to alleviate the severe shortage. “However, Haryana govt has communicated its inability to provide any additional water resources to Delhi at this juncture,” it said.
According to a water sharing arrangement among north Indian states, Haryana provides 1,133 cusecs (as per the Delhi Economic Survey of 2023-24) of water to Delhi through the Munak Canal and the Yamuna. With Delhi’s water demand increasing and the supply of water from Haryana stagnant since 1994, minister Atishi had sent the delegation to Chandigarh to see if additional water could be got.
Expressing disappointment, Atishi said that while discussions over equitable distribution of Yamuna water can be deferred, the current emergency was an immediate priority. “The unprecedented heatwaves have created a dire situation and we earnestly appeal to Haryana to release water on humanitarian grounds. The people of Delhi are enduring immense suffering due to these extreme conditions, the likes of which we have never experienced before,” she said. “The well-being of our citizens is at stake, and it is imperative that we receive this crucial support without delay.”
The meeting lasted for an hour-and-a-half. According to officials privy to developments, the Haryana team produced before the Delhi side the details of mandated supply to the capital.
Haryana officials are also learnt to have communicated to Delhi that despite facing a deficiency of over 20%, they were releasing the requisite amount of water to Delhi.
“This is the situation… We are all helpless. We are eagerly waiting for the monsoon so that the demand gets reduced and we get an adequate flow to consider Delhi’s demands. As of now, Haryana is not in a position to share additional water,” said a senior official, adding that Haryana was committed to supplying the mandated water and forwarding the flow released by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi.
Since the last week of May, Haryana and Delhi govts have been at loggerheads over the issue of flow of the Yamuna water to Delhi. While Delhi govt has accused Haryana of blocking its supply, the chief minister Nayab Singh Saini-led dispensation has attributed the crisis to poor maintenance and distribution system and a an allegedly thriving tanker mafia under AAP govt in Delhi.
A team of three senior Delhi officials — additional chief secretary (urban development) Manish Gupta, Delhi Jal Board chief executive officer A Anbarasu, and DJB chief engineer (nodal), SL Meena — met Haryana’s principal secretary (water resources) on Tuesday in Chandigarh to discuss the current water crisis in Delhi.
Delhi wanted an additional 137 cusecs to be released from Haryana,as initially promised by Himachal Pradesh. The office of the water minister said Delhi govt’s delegation solicited the release of the additional water to alleviate the severe shortage. “However, Haryana govt has communicated its inability to provide any additional water resources to Delhi at this juncture,” it said.
According to a water sharing arrangement among north Indian states, Haryana provides 1,133 cusecs (as per the Delhi Economic Survey of 2023-24) of water to Delhi through the Munak Canal and the Yamuna. With Delhi’s water demand increasing and the supply of water from Haryana stagnant since 1994, minister Atishi had sent the delegation to Chandigarh to see if additional water could be got.
Expressing disappointment, Atishi said that while discussions over equitable distribution of Yamuna water can be deferred, the current emergency was an immediate priority. “The unprecedented heatwaves have created a dire situation and we earnestly appeal to Haryana to release water on humanitarian grounds. The people of Delhi are enduring immense suffering due to these extreme conditions, the likes of which we have never experienced before,” she said. “The well-being of our citizens is at stake, and it is imperative that we receive this crucial support without delay.”
The meeting lasted for an hour-and-a-half. According to officials privy to developments, the Haryana team produced before the Delhi side the details of mandated supply to the capital.
Haryana officials are also learnt to have communicated to Delhi that despite facing a deficiency of over 20%, they were releasing the requisite amount of water to Delhi.
“This is the situation… We are all helpless. We are eagerly waiting for the monsoon so that the demand gets reduced and we get an adequate flow to consider Delhi’s demands. As of now, Haryana is not in a position to share additional water,” said a senior official, adding that Haryana was committed to supplying the mandated water and forwarding the flow released by Himachal Pradesh to Delhi.
Since the last week of May, Haryana and Delhi govts have been at loggerheads over the issue of flow of the Yamuna water to Delhi. While Delhi govt has accused Haryana of blocking its supply, the chief minister Nayab Singh Saini-led dispensation has attributed the crisis to poor maintenance and distribution system and a an allegedly thriving tanker mafia under AAP govt in Delhi.
