Similar loss of water takes place during supply in other states too: Delhi to SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against Himachal Pradesh for going back on the promise to supply its excess water to Delhi.
“We were persuaded to pass the interim order based on your statement that you have excess water. Now, you say that you do not have excess water to what is being supplied. Then you are in contempt,” the court bench told the state, asking it to be ready to face the consequences.
Arvind Kejriwal govt had moved the court seeking a direction to Haryana for “immediate and continuous release of water at Wazirabad barrage, including but not limited to the full surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh for NCT Delhi” for mitigation of water crisis in the national capital.
When senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Delhi govt, submitted that as per the order passed by the Yamuna Board in 2018, Delhi must get 1,013 cusecs but the actual water received was varying between 800-900 cusecs with 900 cusecs received only twice. He was opposed by Haryana's counsel senior advocate Shyam Divan who contended that 52.2% of water is wasted in Delhi during supply and that it is that problem that needed to be fixed first.
Singhvi maintained that there was nothing abnormal in this and said similar losses are sustained in Haryana and other states, and also assured the court that the data will be placed on record.
Referring to news channel reports that water was being supplied in Delhi in tankers, the court said that tanker mafias were working in the city and no action was being taken against them. It said that if the Delhi govt did not take action then it would entrust the task to Delhi Police.
“If you are not taking any action then we will hand it over to the Delhi police to take action against the tanker mafia. People are suffering. The same water is coming through tankers and in the pipeline there is no water. We are seeing visuals in every channel, tanker mafia working in Delhi. What measures have you taken?,” Justice Mishra said.
Advocate Shadan Farasat for the Delhi govt clarified that it was the Delhi Jal Board which is supplying water on tankers and told the court that the govt took various measures to prevent wastage of water and disconnections were done on a massive level.
“We are in a catch-22 situation with very little water. In so far as police are concerned, we will be more than happy to have the police taking action in this.” he told the bench.