NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Delhi govt must take the blame for the self-created water crisis in the national capital as Delhi Jal Board has failed to plug a massive 52% pilferage of water supplies to Delhi by tanker mafia and industries.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta cited the Economic Survey of Delhi, 2023-2024, which said, “As per Outcome Budget (Q2 of 2023-24) of DJB, the total distribution losses are at about 52.35%. These are quite high as compared to 10-20% in developing countries. There are large water losses at different stages of the water supply system in the treatment plants, conveyance systems and distribution systems, apart from leaks and pilferage.”
The Centre in its note to a vacation bench of Justices Prashant K Mishra and K V Viswanathan said this admission by DJB means “over 52% of water supplied to Delhi does not reach citizens due to factors like theft of water by industries and menace of tanker mafia. No effort has been shown by Delhi govt to stop these losses to ensure more water for residents of Delhi.”
Mehta’s note to the SC stated that as per ministry of housing and urban affairs, 135 litres per capita per day (LPCD) is the benchmark for urban water supply, which for rural areas is 55 LPCD under Jal Jeevan Mission. “LPCD for Delhi for domestic use is 172,” it said indicating the privilege of extra water enjoyed by Delhiites per day per person.
The Economic Survey of Delhi, presented in the assembly by the Arvind Kejriwal govt on March 1, had listed two other reasons for the shortage of water in the national capital. “People use reverse osmosis (RO) systems for water filtration since the tap water is not potable. RO causes water wastage of 40- 60% of the water used. During the rainy season, Delhi experiences water-clogged roads and overflowing sewers. There is little rainwater harvesting, resulting in wastage of a precious resource,” the survey said.
The Centre also said Himachal Pradesh, which expressed its desire to share surplus water with Delhi before the SC, had in the past consistently maintained before the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for more allocation of water to it citing shortage.
“Whether there is any unutilised share of water which Himachal Pradesh can supply to any other state is a matter of dispute and the same is already pending before the Board, as evident from the minutes of meeting of the Board on December 13, 2023,” the Centre said.
Delhi govt relied upon a memorandum of understanding signed with Himachal Pradesh on Dec 20, 2019 to inform the SC that the surplus water released by Himachal Pradesh at Tajewala (at HP/Haryana border) is not being released by Haryana to Delhi, the Centre said.
It said a similar petition by Delhi govt seeking additional water to meet shortage of drinking water was rejected by the SC in 2021 while granting it liberty to move UYRB and raise the issue there.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta cited the Economic Survey of Delhi, 2023-2024, which said, “As per Outcome Budget (Q2 of 2023-24) of DJB, the total distribution losses are at about 52.35%. These are quite high as compared to 10-20% in developing countries. There are large water losses at different stages of the water supply system in the treatment plants, conveyance systems and distribution systems, apart from leaks and pilferage.”
The Centre in its note to a vacation bench of Justices Prashant K Mishra and K V Viswanathan said this admission by DJB means “over 52% of water supplied to Delhi does not reach citizens due to factors like theft of water by industries and menace of tanker mafia. No effort has been shown by Delhi govt to stop these losses to ensure more water for residents of Delhi.”
Mehta’s note to the SC stated that as per ministry of housing and urban affairs, 135 litres per capita per day (LPCD) is the benchmark for urban water supply, which for rural areas is 55 LPCD under Jal Jeevan Mission. “LPCD for Delhi for domestic use is 172,” it said indicating the privilege of extra water enjoyed by Delhiites per day per person.
The Economic Survey of Delhi, presented in the assembly by the Arvind Kejriwal govt on March 1, had listed two other reasons for the shortage of water in the national capital. “People use reverse osmosis (RO) systems for water filtration since the tap water is not potable. RO causes water wastage of 40- 60% of the water used. During the rainy season, Delhi experiences water-clogged roads and overflowing sewers. There is little rainwater harvesting, resulting in wastage of a precious resource,” the survey said.
The Centre also said Himachal Pradesh, which expressed its desire to share surplus water with Delhi before the SC, had in the past consistently maintained before the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) for more allocation of water to it citing shortage.
“Whether there is any unutilised share of water which Himachal Pradesh can supply to any other state is a matter of dispute and the same is already pending before the Board, as evident from the minutes of meeting of the Board on December 13, 2023,” the Centre said.
Delhi govt relied upon a memorandum of understanding signed with Himachal Pradesh on Dec 20, 2019 to inform the SC that the surplus water released by Himachal Pradesh at Tajewala (at HP/Haryana border) is not being released by Haryana to Delhi, the Centre said.
It said a similar petition by Delhi govt seeking additional water to meet shortage of drinking water was rejected by the SC in 2021 while granting it liberty to move UYRB and raise the issue there.
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