Himachal short on surplus water; SC asks Delhi govt to approach UYRB

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to approach the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for water supply as Himachal Pradesh took a U-turn and told the top court that it did not have surplus water to spare.

A vacation bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale asked the Delhi government to submit an application to the UYRB by 5 pm seeking supply of water to the national capital on humanitarian grounds.

The Himachal Pradesh government told the SC that it does not have surplus 136 cusecs of water and withdrew its earlier statement.

The bench said that sharing of Yamuna water between states is a complex and sensitive issue and this court does not have the technical expertise to decide on it even on an interim basis.

"The issue should be left to be considered by the body constituted with the agreement of parties in the memorandum of understanding dated 1994.

"Since the UYRB has already directed Delhi to submit an application for the supply of water on humanitarian grounds... such an application be made, if not already made, by today by 5 pm, and the board shall convene a meeting tomorrow and take decision in the matter at the earliest," the bench said.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Delhi government seeking a direction to Haryana to release the surplus water provided by Himachal Pradesh to the national capital to mitigate its water crisis.