India, June 12 -- New Delhi The Supreme Court on Wednesday lamented that Delhi's drinking water crisis cannot be solved unless there is action taken against the recurring water transmission losses and the tanker mafia operating in the Capital, and sought a report from the Delhi government on the action taken in this regard within 24 hours.

At the same time, the bench pulled up the Himachal Pradesh government, suggesting it was in contempt of court for not releasing 137 cusecs of additional water to the Hathnikund Barrage that it had said it would during a previous hearing on June 6.

A vacation bench, headed by justice PK Mishra, asked Delhi: "If this is the problem faced every summer, what measures have you (Delhi government) taken to p...