Supreme Court Asks Yamuna River Board To Decide Delhi Govt's Plea For Additional Water; HP Govt Withdraws Statement On Surplus Water

By – Vidhi Gupta, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan

The Supreme Court dismissed the Delhi Government’s petition seeking immediate intervention to ensure the release of additional water from Haryana. The plea was made to address the severe water scarcity in Delhi. Instead of issuing a directive to Haryana, the Court advised the Delhi Government to present its case to the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB). The Court highlighted the complexity of inter-state water-sharing issues, suggesting that the UYRB is the appropriate forum to handle such disputes.

In a related development, the Himachal Pradesh Government withdrew its previous assertion about having surplus water. This retraction adds another layer of complexity to the already challenging water distribution scenario among the northern states. The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the need for a systematic approach to resolving water-sharing conflicts and highlights the role of regulatory bodies like the UYRB in mediating such disputes.