Rising pollution in Yamuna leads to 40% decline in Delhi's water supply

On Monday, Delhi Jal Board's counsel Shadan Farasat in an 'Intervening Application' called for an urgent hearing of the matter in the Supreme Court, citing a drastic increase in pollution in the river. The board pointed out that the water supply has reduced by 40 percent owing to rising pollution in the Yamuna.

New Delhi: The national capital's water supply authority — Delhi Jal Board — filed an 'Intervening Application' in the Supreme Court, seeking an urgent hearing of the suo motu case on pollution in the Yamuna river.

On Monday, DJB's counsel Shadan Farasat in an 'Intervening Application' called for an urgent listing of the issue before the bench, citing a drastic increase in pollution in the river. The board pointed out that the water supply has reduced by 40 percent.

"There will be increased demand for water in the summer and it is not being released," Farasat told the court.

The Delhi Jal Board had moved the top court against Haryana on March 8 seeking an immediate shutdown of discharge of untreated pollutants into the river. The authority had pointed out that a sufficient supply of water can be resumed only after stopping untreated pollutants mixing in the river.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian has already issued a notice in the matter, having appointed an amicus curie in the suo motu case against pollution in rivers.