The Himachal Pradesh government has refuted Haryana’s claims of halting water supply to Delhi, filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court to clarify its stance on the matter.
Himachal has asserted that it has not and will not stop the flow of Yamuna water to Delhi, emphasising its commitment to the existing water-sharing agreement.
The affidavit filed by Himachal Pradesh declares that the state will ensure the measurement and supply of Yamuna water for Delhi’s drinking needs.
To oversee this process, the Upper Yamuna River Board has deployed a team to measure the water, aided by two appointed officers from Himachal: the Superintending Engineer of Nahan Circle and the Superintending Engineer of Planning and Exploration Unit-2. These officers will provide critical data to the river board team and monitor the measurement process to ensure both Delhi’s needs and Himachal’s interests are protected.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reiterated the state government’s dedication to supplying water to Delhi as per the 2019 agreement. He affirmed that Himachal would comply with the Supreme Court’s directive to release additional water amidst Delhi’s ongoing water crisis. Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Sharma confirmed that Himachal had no objection to the water supply and had not stopped the flow of water.
The 2019 memorandum of understanding between Himachal and Delhi stipulates the provision of 137 cusecs of water. However, the Haryana government has alleged that Himachal had yet to start delivering this quantity to alleviate Delhi’s water shortage.
Himachal officials have countered this claim, stating that there was no obstruction in the state and any extra water available was being released to Delhi. They also clarified that there were no dams or barrages on the Yamuna river and its tributaries in Himachal, making the cessation of water flow implausible.
Anju Sharma, Engineer-in-Chief of the Jal Shakti Department, said there was no issue with providing water and that an affidavit had been submitted to the Supreme Court to this effect.
