The Haryana government has said it does not agree with the suggestion of increasing the environmental flow in the Delhi section of the Yamuna River, which could cause ‘environmental disaster’ in the state.
According to the International Federation for the Conservation of Nature, ecosystems regulate the flow of water and flow into the river, river or coastal area to maintain their benefits.
Roorkee’s National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) in its study recommended that in January and February, 23 cubic meters of water should be released from the Hathinikund Barrage in Haryana, at 10 cubic meters per second, so that the ecology of the Yamuna River remains intact.
Also read: SC wants automatic awareness of pollution in Yamuna, Haryana
The Hathinikund Barrage regulates the flow of the river through the West Yamuna Canal and the East Yamuna Canal for irrigation in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and for water supply in Delhi, respectively.
In an answer to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) filed by the Haryana government, the state said it was already releasing 10 cubic meters of water per second from Hathinikund in accordance with the 1994 agreement. This agreement can be revisited after 2025 only if one of the partner states wishes to do so.
It said it could create an ‘environmental catastrophe’ in Haryana as the state did not fully agree with the NIH’s recommendation to increase the rate of environmental flow.
The Haryana government has raised the matter with the Ministry of Water Supply and has requested them not to accept the NIH report.
.
