Delhi government moves Supreme Court for release of surplus water from Haryana

The Delhi government has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to State of Haryana to cooperate with it in procuring water to the national capital from Himachal Pradesh..In a plea filed through advocate Shadan Farasat, the Delhi government has sought urgent directions to Haryana for release of surplus water it receives from Himachal Pradesh through the Wazirabad barrage.The national capital is currently battling a heat wave with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees Celsius. This is bundled with an acute shortage of water, it was pointed out.The situation has led to frequent supply cuts in many parts of Delhi and has disrupted the daily lives of residents, it was stressed. Therefore, additional water is needed during the current season as a stop-gap emergency measure by routing it through Haryana, as Himachal Pradesh does not share a boundary with the lower riparian State of Delhi, the plea added.The Delhi government clarified that it is not pressing for the resolution of any inter-State water dispute at present nor seeking an enhanced supply of water.The water levels at the Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi barrages, which are the capital's primary sources of water are already operating at their optimum levels, the government contended. The State of Haryana is yet to accede to the requests for helping with the water issue necessitating the present plea, the Delhi government underscored. The immediate release of surplus water right now is key as Delhi houses workforce managing the affairs of the entire country, it was emphasised. .The plea was drawn by advocates Shadan Farasat, Natasha Maheshwari and Harshit Anand.