Delhi-Haryana water sharing: SC slams Upper Yamuna River Board

The Supreme Court today slammed the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for not doing their job pertaining to distribution of river water among the beneficiary states, asking it why should the courts do its work.

The apex court, which was hearing a matter relating to river Yamuna water sharing between Delhi and Haryana, observed that the UYRB was supposed to do their job of regulating water supply to the barrages and asked the board to give its suggestions on the issue by May 14.

UYRB was set up by the Centre in 1995, with one of its main functions being to regulate and supply water from all storages and barrages till the Okhla barrage in Delhi, in accordance with the agreements between the governments of the six basin states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.

"Why is the Upper Yamuna River Board not doing their job? What are they doing," a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta asked, adding, "the board is supposed to do its job. We do not know why they (UYRB) do not want to do their job? Why should we do their job?."