The Delhi government has approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Haryana government for immediate release of water to the crisis-hit national capital Delhi facing acute shortage of water during present third degree heat. Referring to the severe heatwave conditions prevailing in Delhi the plea stated that there is excessive surge of water demand in the capital despite the government taking all possible administrative measures to mee need for additional water supply till either the monsoon season arrives or temperature in the city goes down. In the petition, it is apprised that State of Himachal Pradesh has agreed to share its surplus water with Delhi, but it does not share a physical boundary with the Union Territory, aa such the water is required to be routed through existing river water systems in the State of Haryana to b released to Delhi at the Wazirabad barrage.
The plea adds, Delhi government has made a request to Haryana state government, but the latter has not acceded to it yet, as such directions should be made to the Haryana government to extend its cooperation and releases water to Delhi, including the additional/surplus water agreed to be released by Himachal Pradesh to meet the demand of water during present hot season since the national capital is home to a large number of migrants from across the country, including from the neighboring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, as such, there is reciprocal obligation on Haryana to assist Delhi in resolving its water and sanitation crisis at the earliest. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to social media platform saying that the quantity of water that used to be supplied to the capital by neighboring states has been limited, as such Kejriwal urged the Bhartiya Janata Party to ask its leaders in Haryana and U.P having BJP government or so to supply additional water to Delhi for a month, keeping aside politics. The AAP government in Delhi accused the BJP-led government in Haryana of not releasing Delhi’s share of water since May 1. Information reveals, amidst water crisis, Delhi minister Atishi Marlena issued an order last Wednesday stating that wastage of water by anyone shall be fined Rs.2000, apart from nearly 200 teams have been deployed to crackdown upon washing of cars with pipes, overflow of water tanks and use of domestic water supply for construction or commercial purposes.
Meanwhile, while talking to media persons, former chief minister and leader of opposition in Haryana Vidhan Sabha Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said BJP has failed on all fronts since coming to power. ” There is no hope that they will get power now,” Hooda, a two time chief minister in Haryana said in a reaction to BJP’s 100 days in office. Citing examples of lack of coordination, Khattar, his ministers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hooda said, “One minister claims that there is no shortage of urea in the state, but others maintain that there is shortage. “The chief minister claims that the state has 10,000 MW power, but still farmers are not getting electricity even in winter,” Hooda further said, Prime Minister Modi claims that Delhi is getting water, but Khattar on the other hand asserted that Haryana will not give its share of water to any other state.
Alleging that there is an unrest in each section of society in the state, where the minister complains that he is not getting free hand to work. The former chief minister said that the Khattar government in its first 100 days had miserably failed on all fronts. Hooda said that the BJP government failed to create faith among the people of the state who feel that there is no democracy in Haryana but president’s rule. He charged the Haryana government of being directionless and said the Congress is set to make a comeback in the state. Hitting out at the saffron party, Hooda said that all sections, including farmers, traders, employees and police are unhappy with the present regime. He lambasted the NDA for making amendments in Land Acquisition law. The amendments have made land acquisition worse than the British regime. On the issue of war between Punjab and Haryana over SYL and Ravi Beas water with Punjab approaching the apex court, Hooda said that it is nothing but only a delaying tactics and accused ruling BJP government unable to get its share of SYL canal water in-spite of Supreme Court decision in favour of Haryana.
