Haryana Min rejects Delhi’s claims of water scarcity, urges better internal management

New Delhi: Haryana’s Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Abhay Singh Yadav, has firmly rejected Delhi government’s accusations of inadequate water supply from Haryana. He informed press persons here in the national capital, Yadav emphasised that Haryana has been supplying more than the allocated amount of water to Delhi, and any shortages are due to Delhi’s internal mismanagement.

Yadav clarified that Haryana is releasing 1050 cusecs of water from Munak Head, significantly more than the stipulated 719 cusecs. He noted that Delhi’s water scarcity issues stem from its own internal inefficiencies rather than any shortfall from Haryana.

“We do not politicise water; we view it as a necessity,” he stated, adding that ensuring adequate water supply to the national capital is a shared responsibility.

In a detailed presentation, the Haryana minister accompanied by senior officials including Commissioner and Secretary of the Irrigation Department Pankaj Agrawal, EIC Virendra Singh, Superintendent Engineer YWS Delhi Tarun Agrawal, and XEN Delhi Manjit Singh, shared data on water supply to Delhi from May 23 to June 12, 2024.

This data, presented to the Supreme Court, indicated that Haryana has been consistently supplying more water than the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) mandated 924 cusecs at the Bawana contact point. The minister further accused the Delhi government of presenting misleading and imaginary figures in the media, despite acknowledging in official meetings that they receive their full water allocation. He pointed out that Delhi is demanding 613 MGD (1141 cusecs), which exceeds the UYRB’s stipulations. He highlighted a letter from Delhi’s water minister dated June 18, this year, which confirmed that Delhi was receiving 954 cusecs, underscoring that any perceived shortages are due to Delhi’s own management issues.

Referring to past legal actions, Yadav recalled that in 2021, the apex court had rejected Delhi’s petition alleging inadequate water supply from Haryana, based on a Ministry of Water Resources investigation. Similarly, in 2018, the UYRB also confirmed that Haryana was supplying the full quota of water to Delhi.

In response to a recent petition filed by Delhi on May 31, this year, the Supreme Court also directed the UYRB to review the water supply situation. The UYRB’s findings, based on data collected until June 9, revealed that Haryana was providing an average flow of 948 cusecs at the Bawana point, exceeding the required 924 cusecs.

On June 18, further measurements by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and UYRB showed that Delhi was receiving 978 cusecs, reaffirming Haryana’s compliance.

The Haryana minister also called on the Delhi government to address their internal management issues rather than blaming Haryana. He questioned why Delhi has not sought additional water from Himachal Pradesh, which had previously agreed to supply 137 cusecs but later retracted.

Yadav highlighted Haryana’s ongoing challenges with water supply from Punjab, urging the Delhi and Punjab governments to resolve issues related to the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and the Hansi-Butana canal. He emphasised that Haryana itself faces water shortages and has implemented several measures to optimise its limited water resources.

The minister concluded by urging the Delhi government to stop political dramatisation over water issues and focus on improving their internal water distribution system. He reaffirmed Haryana’s commitment to fair handling and consistent water supply to Delhi, as verified by multiple independent agencies.