Over the past few weeks, Delhi has experienced a severe water shortage. Consequently, the Supreme Court has directed Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of surplus water to alleviate the crisis in the capital. The bench of justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and KV Viswanathan informed the state of Himachal Pradesh to send water to the capital to help the state in its water crises. The bench also instructed the Delhi government to make sure water is not wasted and is sent for the necessary needs.
The order of the bench stated that “As and when the surplus water is released with prior information to Haryana by the state of Himachal Pradesh, the state of Haryana shall facilitate the flow of surplus water so released by Himachal Pradesh to Hathnikund and to Wazirabad so that it reaches Delhi uninterruptedly and is made available for the citizens of Delhi for drinking water,”
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On Monday ,on behalf of the Delhi government, Delhi water minister Atishi sent a plea to the supreme court seeking extra water for the city due to the crises they have been facing.The state of Himachal did not have any objections against the release of water. The hearing of the same happened on 6th June 2024.
The water will be released to the capital on 7th June 2024 after giving the prior instructions to the Haryana government .The plea also requested the Haryana government to release the water through the Wazirabad barrage along with the release of water from the Himachal Pradesh. The court also asked the upper Yamuna river board to measure the amount of water taken by the Delhi government.
The water shortage situation in Delhi right now
According to news articles from the past few days, Delhi residents are facing massive troubles due to the water shortage in the capital. Residents have to stand in long queues to get water filled in their buckets as reported by the ANI news agency. The rainy days in the city are also quite less. According to reports from Delhi now, the Sanjay Camp area is currently receiving water tanker deliveries only once per day, with just a single tanker for the whole camp. The camp has thousands of people who can’t meet their needs with just one tanker of water for the whole camp.
There are also daily fights between residents while fetching water from the tankers. According to the residents, at least two people from each house have to go to fetch water to make it sufficient for the whole family’s needs. To save water and to make the citizens understand the importance of water during this scarcity , the Delhi government has imposed a fine of Rs 2000 for water wastage.
Photo credit: times of india
Why is Delhi facing a water shortage ?
The extreme heat of the city is the major reason for the water shortage. The climate is so intensely hot as it is noted to be about 45.8 degree celsius adding to the water scarcity of Delhi. Heat waves are also reported in Delhi which is a sign that the climate will get worse with time. The city is also facing hours of power cut due to the high demand of water.
Amidst the water scarcity crisis, the Housing and Land Rights Network, an NGO dedicated to addressing urban poverty concerns, has proposed that the Delhi government take proactive measures to pinpoint high-risk zones where significant numbers of homeless individuals live or labor. These areas are especially susceptible to heat strokes and other health complications arising from extreme heat, underscoring the urgent need for targeted intervention. They asks the government to set up water distribution points by setting public taps or sending in tankers to the people who need water.
