Less water in Yamuna, AAP govt's mismanagement behind shortage in Delhi: Haryana govt

Less water in the Yamuna river due to delay in the arrival of the monsoon and the AAP dispensation's mismanagement has led to water shortage in the national capital, claimed the Haryana government on Sunday.

Hours after Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice-chairman Raghav Chadha alleged that the neighbouring state has been withholding the city's share of 120 million gallons of water a day, the Haryana government, in a statement, accused the AAP government of indulging in a "false political rhetoric to hide its failure".

"The shortage of water in Delhi is totally internal mismanagement of Delhi and Haryana has no role in it," it said, adding the people of the national capital are facing scarcity of water "as there is less water in the Yamuna river due to delay in monsoon and due to poor system of water management in Delhi." Due to delayed monsoon, Haryana is facing severe water scarcity "but we are still maintaining water supply to Delhi without any reduction," the state government maintained.

"Haryana is continuously providing 1,049 cusecs of water at Munak through its canal system to Delhi the quantity of which is 950 cusecs of water at Bawana contact point," it said.

"The Delhi government is indulging in false political rhetoric to hide its failure. The truth is that in spite of 40 per cent less water in the Yamuna, Delhi has been given its share of water," said the statement.

The DJB vice-chairman on Sunday said the water utility has moved the Supreme Court, seeking directions to Haryana to release the capital's legitimate share of water.

The Haryana government's statement further said that according to an Economic Survey, 2017, report of the Delhi Government, 20 per cent of the drinking water in the national capital is "wasted due to mismanagement".  "It is a matter of great regret that the Haryana government is facing the criticism of the Delhi government despite making positive efforts and following the orders of the Supreme Court,” it said.

The statement said that Delhi has a share of 719 cusecs of water at Munak from Yamuna and Ravi Beas waters.

Additionally, 330 cusecs extra Yamuna water is being released by Haryana at Munak, as per compliance of Supreme Court orders on February 29, 1996, it said.

"In May this year, Delhi filed a Civil Writ Petition before the Supreme Court on the ground that Haryana is not providing its full share of water to Delhi.

"This petition was disposed of by the court on the basis of the report of a committee chaired by the Secretary, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. Similar petitions filed by Delhi in previous years were also disposed of by the Supreme Court," the Haryana government said.