New Delhi, Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court order directing Himachal Pradesh to release surplus water to the national capital, terming it a “victory” for the people of the city.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release 137 cusecs of surplus water available with it to Delhi, which is grappling with a water crisis.

A vacation bench of Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan noted that the Himachal Pradesh government has no objection and is willing to release the surplus water.

The bench also directed the Haryana government to facilitate the flow of surplus water released by Himachal Pradesh so that it reaches the national capital.

In a post on X, Atishi said, “I salute the Hon’ble Supreme Court for standing with the people of Delhi during this unprecedented water crisis. This is a time that calls for coordinated effort above all else, and the SC order marks a victory for the people of Delhi and their right to water.”

The national capital has been grappling with a water crisis with the Delhi government accusing Haryana of not releasing its share of water.

Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged Haryana was providing less water to Delhi.

“So, we talked to the Himachal Pradesh government. I spoke to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and he was ready to provide water to Delhi. However, the Haryana government was not providing a path for the water, which forced the Delhi government to go to the Supreme Court.

“…if Himachal Pradesh is willing to provide water and Delhi is willing to take it, why is Haryana blocking the route? We thank the HP government and the apex court,” he said.

Targeting the BJP, Bharadwaj said the party talks about “cooperative federalism” but its state government is not providing a path for the water even after Himachal Pradesh has agreed to share it.

This is something that the Haryana government and the Centre should have done earlier but they were playing politics, he said.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva accused the A dispensation of “lying over the release of water from Haryana” and demanded an apology that its ministers apologise.

He said the BJP had been asking the Delhi government to seek excess water from Himachal Pradesh but it did not listen.

“Today we have been proven right. Throughout the last month of the water crisis in Delhi, we saw minister Atishi writing melodramatic letters to CMs of BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh knowing very well that they are already giving excess water,” he said. She never wrote to Himachal the A’s INDIA bloc partner Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, he said.

“Today she stands exposed as the Supreme Court of India has not asked Haryana or UP but Himachal Pradesh to release excess water. People of Delhi will never forgive the Arvind Kejriwal government for its dirty politics amidst the water crisis,” Sachdeva said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.