New Delhi- On June 12, the Supreme Court put the Delhi government on notice to explain the measures to prevent wastage of water in the middle of the heat wave when most places in India are facing acute water scarcity. The court directed that the said affidavit be completed and delivered to the prothonotary by the end of the business day since the case is expected to be listed for hearing on June 13. The vacation bench of justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale even directly raised some questions specifically to the Delhi government, and that was regarding the measures adopted to stop water wastage from tanker mafias. In response to this, the Delhi government’s lawyer submitted that all water tankers used in delivering water in the capital are owned by the Delhi Jal Board.
This court also managed to discuss matters relating to water allocation from other neighbouring states. It pointed out that an unaccounted for remark was made in a statement of the Government of Himachal Pradesh that it produced 137 cusecs of water more than the demand to be supplied to Delhi. This assertion was soon followed by signs suggesting that Himachal Pradesh does not even have the excess water it was advertised to have. The court has thus ordered one of the officers who conducted the report on water availability in Himachal to appear in court on 13th June for further explanation.
The court observed that there was no affidavit filed by the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh regarding shortage or surplus water, especially in the light of the discrepancies that the State made in its claims about the excess water available downstream. The courts astutely observed: Misleading stands of Himachal Pradesh mar the entire basis of the plea; it quoted the tale of they have excess water, and now they say that they have already given it, meaning, of course, nothing excess.
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