Supreme Court Calls Emergency Meeting to Tackle Delhi Water Crisis Amid Heatwave

Amid soaring summer temperatures, the Supreme Court has mandated an urgent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) on June 5 to address Delhi's severe water shortage. The plea by Delhi's government seeks immediate water release from Haryana and underscores water as a basic human right under Article 21.

In the face of an unrelenting heatwave, the Supreme Court directed an emergent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) on June 5 to tackle the water crisis threatening Delhi.

Established in 1995, the UYRB's key roles include managing water distribution among beneficiary states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and Haryana, noted the issue was already under discussion by the UYRB, with stakeholders such as Himachal Pradesh called upon to provide water availability details.

The Bench highlighted the urgency, prompting a meeting to resolve the crisis swiftly. During proceedings, consensus emerged on adopting a collaborative approach. The next hearing, scheduled for June 6, will review the board's minutes and stakeholder-proposed solutions.

Mehta revealed that despite figures showing 100 litres of water reaching Delhi, only 48.65 litres is available due to losses from leakages, tanker mafia, and industrial theft. In the plea, Delhi’s Water Minister Atishi emphasized the criticalness of water, citing it as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Amid this water scarcity, exacerbated by peak summer demand, Atishi has accused Haryana of withholding Delhi's water share. An interim solution involves Himachal Pradesh's surplus water being routed to Delhi via Haryana's channels to the Wazirabad barrage. The plea seeks immediate water release until the crisis is mitigated, without addressing ongoing inter-state disputes.