Haryana government today told the Supreme Court that it was facing a "huge distress" for water as it has been receiving only half the...

Haryana government today told the Supreme Court that it was facing a "huge distress" for water as it has been receiving only half the supply from the Hathni Kund barrage located in the Yamuna Nagar district. The state submitted this before a bench, comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, which was hearing a matter relating to Yamuna water sharing between Delhi and Haryana. Haryana's counsel, however, said the state would continue supplying 150 cusecs of water to Delhi till May 15. "We are receiving only 50 percent water from the Hathni barrage. There is a huge distress of water level in Haryana," the counsel told the bench. The bench was also informed that a meeting of the chief secretaries of Delhi and Haryana and secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources was held on April 23 and its minutes has been placed on record.

Hathni Kund barrage located in the Yamuna Nagar district

The court posted the matter for hearing on May 11. On April 23, the apex court had asked chief secretaries of Delhi and Haryana and secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources to hold a meeting immediately to discuss and sort out the issues relating to the supply of Yamuna river water to the national capital. Delhi had earlier said that there was a shortfall of 120 cusecs of water of Yamuna river daily for the national capital. The court was hearing a plea filed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) alleging that Haryana had reduced by one-third the supply of Yamuna water to the national capital, leading to a grave water crisis.

The DJB had contended that Haryana was supplying Delhi only 330 cusecs of water daily as against 450 cusecs per day, which was agreed upon between the state and the Union Territory. Due to the curtailment in the water supply to the Wazirabad reservoir, the plant was running at reduced capacity leading to a "grave water crisis" in the city. It had sought directions from the apex court to Haryana government to supply the entire 450 cusecs of water per day continuously and daily to the Wazirabad reservoir.