Question : RELEASE OF WATER FROM UTTAR PRADESH TO SONIA VIHAR PLANT

(a) whether the Union Government has received any demand from the Government of Delhi to help in release of water from Uttar Pradesh for Sonia Vihar Plant;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Union Government has requested the Government of Uttar Pradesh to reconsider its decision for the supply of water to the plant as appeared in the Rashtriya Sahara dated March 23, 2006;

(d) if so, whether the Government of Uttar Pradesh has refused to supply water to this plant, till 2009;

(e) if so, the reasons therefor;

(f) whether the Government has the details of all such States which have refused to provide water to other States; and

(g) if so, the number of such States and the steps being taken by the Union Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (PROF. SAIF-UD-DIN SOZ)

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. A request dated 03.02.2006 was received for urgent intervention to persuade Uttar Pradesh to soon release water to Delhi for its Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant in keeping with the top priority to drinking water as per National Water Policy.

(c) Hon’ble chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh was requested vide a letter dated o7.03.2006 to consider the release of water for Sonia Vihar plant. Further, that if UP cannot release 300 cusecs of water due to general decrease in water flows, as a temporary measure, it could consider releasing at least 200 cusecs till the normal supply was possible due to increase in flow receipts in river system.

(d) & (e) Hon’ ble Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control, Uttar Pradesh vide his letter dated 19.4.2006 has stated that 300 cusecs of water for Delhi, 200 cusecs of drinking water for UP and 3500 cusecs of water for Irrigation purposes in UP was earmarked from Tehri Dam. Further, as the dam was still under impounding stage there was a reduction in water in Bhagirathi river which had adversely affected the irrigation in Uttar Pradesh. He has also stated that in these circumstances even the supply of 200 cusecs of water to Sonia Vihar Plant would be possible after getting extra water from Tehri Dam.

(f) & (g) Though various States have been raising water disputes from time to time, Acts enacted by some State Governments amounting to conditional refusal to supply of water to other States are as follows:

Government of Kerala has informed that due to shortage of water in Neyyar reservoir and also due to enactment of the “Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act, 2003” it has stopped supply of irrigation water to Tamil Nadu since 2004. The Act mentions that “No water form the water course in State shall be distributed to any other State or Union Territory (UT), except in accordance with the agreement between the State Government or UT in terms of a resolution to that effect passed by the Legislative Assembly of the State”. According to the Government of Kerala, the matter is before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court based on a writ Petition filed on behalf of Tamil Nadu farmers and is sub judice.

By the “Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004”, all agreements relating to Ravi Beas waters including the agreement dated 31.12.1981 signed by the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, shall be deemed to have been terminated with effect from the respective date, they were executed or made, as the case may be. The Act however, provides that “all existing and actual utilizations through the existing systems shall remain protected and unaffected”. A Presidential Reference on the above Act by Government of Punjab has been made and is before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.