The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Delhi's three neighbouring states to ensure that supply of essential commodities including water to the national capital is not disrupted in the wake of threats by Jats agitating for quota in Central jobs.

A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and Dalveer Bhandari specifically asked Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan governments to also ensure that transportation of petroleum products from Mathura and Panipat oil refineries to Delhi should not be affected in any manner.

The bench issued these directions on two urgent petitions filed by the Delhi Jal Board and the Indian Oil Corporation during a special sitting held at the apex court, which is currently closed on account of Holi holidays.

The bench asked the states to see to it that public transport facilities are not disrupted.

Appearing for both DJB and IOC, Delhi government's standing counsel Najmi Wajiri apprised the bench of the threats by agitating Jat communities and the difficulties arising out of their agitation.

The bench, in its order, said, "The agitation should not interrupt the supply of water and essential commodities including milk and milk products. Essential commodities reaching Delhi either by road or railways should not be stopped. It is needless to say that the state governments shall take every necessary step in this regard."

It said these directions to the states concerned will not prevent them from asking help from Central authorities to implement the order.

"We are also directing the respondents (Governments of UP, Haryana and Rajasthan) that they will ensure that oil refineries of Panipat and Mathura are not affected and the supply and transportation of petroleum products either through pipelines or road and railways is not affected," it said.

The bench further said it was passing the order despite the reported statements of the chief ministers of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh indicating support to the agitation.

"We are constrained to pass the order having regard to the statements made by the highest functionaries of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh indicating support to the agitation," the bench said.

The bench directed that the copy of its order should be given immediately to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh and the Haryana as well as the resident commissioners of the two states in Delhi. It should also be given to the standing counsel of the two states.

Issuing notices to the Haryana and UP governments, the bench posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.

The agitation by the Jat community has adverselyaffected rail and road traffic around Delhi, forcing Northern Railways to cancel several trains and divert the routes of some others.

According to Indian Railways, as many as 2,582 trains have been cancelled till March 22 due to the stir.

Jats had also threatened to cut off the national capital from the rest of north India in the next phase of the stir if their demand was not fulfilled by March 28.

The Centre had earlier held a round of talks with the Jats in a bid to put an end to the agitation.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court too has taken cognisance of the ongoing stir by Jats and has fixed April 13 as the next date of hearing of the case pertaining to blockade of road and rail tracks by agitating Jats in Uttar Pradesh.

The court has directed the government to ensure that the affected railway tracks and national highways be cleared forthwith.

The Jat community is agitating on the Delhi-Bathinda section of Northern Railway and Bikaner and Jaipur division of North Western Railway since March 5 which had caused more than Rs 100 crores loss to the railways.