Haryana unwilling to supply water to Delhi, observes HC
28 March 2015 11:38 PM GMT
“It appears to us, Haryana is trying to resile or renege from the arrangement made by the court as it is inconvenient for them,” a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul said.
The observation was made after the lawyers for Haryana objected to putting up of water metres at various places on the Munak Canal to measure the amount of water being supplied to Delhi.
The high court also ordered Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to instal ultrasonic water meters in the Munak Canal to measure and log the water supply so as to ascertain whether the court’s directions were being complied with or not.
It directed DJB to procure the meters at their cost and install them at the head of the Munak Canal as well as the older Delhi sub-branch Canal and any other places in Delhi as per the wisdom of the amicus.
The court directed DJB to install the meters in two weeks and added that, thereafter, “measurement will be done on regular basis and will be logged”.
A person each from Haryana Irrigation Department and DJB would be present along with the amicus curiae during reading of the measurements and a complete log shall be placed before the court in digital form on next date, the court said.
During the hearing, Haryana alleged that DJB wasted over 400 cusecs of water which could have benefited over one crore people.
DJB denied the allegation and pointed out that on Thursday Haryana released too much water “en masse” that they had to open sewer gates to release the pressure.
DJB, represented by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, also questioned why Haryana’s irrigation department, represented by senior advocate Geeta Luthra, was objecting to the monitoring of the water supply. It asserted that there should be “continuous monitoring”.
Meanwhile, amicus curiae Rakesh Khanna submitted before the bench that ultrasonic water flow meters were the latest technology available for measuring the supply and these were easily available.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 1.
On the last date of hearing, the fight over water between Delhi and Haryana had prompted the High Court to remark whether this is a “banana republic”.
The observation was made after the lawyers for Haryana objected to putting up of water metres at various places on the Munak Canal to measure the amount of water being supplied to Delhi.
The high court also ordered Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to instal ultrasonic water meters in the Munak Canal to measure and log the water supply so as to ascertain whether the court’s directions were being complied with or not.
It directed DJB to procure the meters at their cost and install them at the head of the Munak Canal as well as the older Delhi sub-branch Canal and any other places in Delhi as per the wisdom of the amicus.
The court directed DJB to install the meters in two weeks and added that, thereafter, “measurement will be done on regular basis and will be logged”.
A person each from Haryana Irrigation Department and DJB would be present along with the amicus curiae during reading of the measurements and a complete log shall be placed before the court in digital form on next date, the court said.
During the hearing, Haryana alleged that DJB wasted over 400 cusecs of water which could have benefited over one crore people.
DJB denied the allegation and pointed out that on Thursday Haryana released too much water “en masse” that they had to open sewer gates to release the pressure.
DJB, represented by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, also questioned why Haryana’s irrigation department, represented by senior advocate Geeta Luthra, was objecting to the monitoring of the water supply. It asserted that there should be “continuous monitoring”.
Meanwhile, amicus curiae Rakesh Khanna submitted before the bench that ultrasonic water flow meters were the latest technology available for measuring the supply and these were easily available.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 1.
On the last date of hearing, the fight over water between Delhi and Haryana had prompted the High Court to remark whether this is a “banana republic”.
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