Thread by @barandbench

Supreme Court’s Special Bench headed by Justice Nageswara Rao to shortly hear its suo motu case regarding the Remediation of polluted rivers.

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Senior Advocate Vikas Singh begins submissions.

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Singh reads out entire judgement of the Supreme Court in Delhi Water Supply & Sewage vs. State Of Haryana for the benefit of the Bench.

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Court: Please tell us after 26 years, what is the contempt?

The water released by Haryana was in accordance with the Order as found by a committee appointed by us.

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Court: We are warning you, please advise the government to stop filing petition after petition. This the fourth time.

Singh: My Lord, why will I not seek legal recourse that is within my right?

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Singh: Haryana is saying, we will use water for agriculture but not give to Delhi for drinking purposes.

80 Cusec was supposed to be coming through the river, and not a single cusec reached us.

Even according to the report only 37 cusec was reaching us.

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Singh: Upper #Yamuna Board says, we cannot do anything. They actually have no teeth.

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Singh: I am assuming 370 Cusec is assumed to be delivered.

Still 80 Cusec is meant to come through the river. As per the report, there was only 37 Cusec coming.

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Court: Mr. Vikas, you can't decide all this. You tell us how it is contempt.

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Singh: Contempt is because Wazirabad was meant to be kept full. I have nothing more to say.

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Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, begins submissions: I urge you to dismiss this. They keep coming to the Court without any basis.

It is a complete abuse of process.

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Divan invites the Courts attention to the Report's observations and recommendations.

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Divan: Subsequent to the Supreme Court Judgement-huge infrastructure has come up. Therefore, now it is upto the Delhi Jal Board how much water to direct to its plants.

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As per the report, #Haryana is releasing more than 1000 cusecs of water, as per the Yamuna River Allocation Board, submits Divan.

"We are supplying water required from us, sometimes more."

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Divan: The twin main piplelines and the carrier line channel are subsequent to the judgement. The transmission is not through the Yamuna.

The whole foundation of the case has been bypassed by a whole new water infrastructure.

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Court: Please reply to the submissions of contempt, Mr. Divan.

Please reply to his submission that you are not supplying.

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Divan: My sumbmissions are:

1) the minimum requirement is being supplied.

2) The order passed by this Court was based on the fact that the River Yamuna worked as a channel, that has now changed.

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3) In 1996, the basic water plant was at Wazirabad pond, now newer technology is present.

4) Delhi has control over the local infrastructure, they can keep the Wazirabad pond full if they want to.

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Divan: Repeatedly, this Delhi Jal Board keeps moving the Court. Meetings are held at the highest level.

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Singh responds to the submissions: The direction we received in Delhi was that Delhi must be given as much water as required by the State.

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Singh: I am not taking a single cusec in Delhi for agriculture. The intent of the Order was to ensure we have enough for domestic use.

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Court: Yes, further negotiate with them. This contempt petition is dismissed.

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Singh: Your Lordships, negotiations are not working, please do not dismiss this Contempt Petition.

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Justice Nageswara Rao, while Sr. Advocate Vikas Singh continues to attempt arguing: Dismissed, dismissed.

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