Water war: Supreme Court seeks report in three days

New Delhi, April 19

As Delhi and Haryana traded charges over water supplied to the national capital, the Supreme Court on Monday set up a six-member panel to inspect the Wazirabad water treatment plant to examine the quality and quantity of water.

Asking the panel to submit its report to it in three days, a Bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao posted for further hearing on Friday the Delhi Jal Board’s plea seeking directions to the Haryana government to stop the discharge of effluents, including ammonia, into the Yamuna and to release sufficient water to Delhi.

Those included in the committee are Jal Shakti Ministry Secretary, Joint Secretary of

Jal Shakti Ministry to be nominated by Secretary, a member of Delhi Pollution Control Board, a member of Delhi Jal Board, a member of Haryana Pollution Control Board and a representative of Haryana Agricultural Board. The top court had on March 25 asked the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to maintain status quo on supply of Yamuna water to Delhi.

The DJB had on March 8 moved the Supreme Court against the Haryana government to avert a potential water crisis in the national capital.

The Haryana Government alleged that the Delhi Government was trying to conceal its utter failure in management of water by accusing it of being responsible for increased ammonia levels in the drinking water supplied to the Capital. — TNS