The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh releasing the publication at the 27th Meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, in New Delhi on Saturday. Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal , Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Lt. Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung are also seen in the picture.
New Delhi, April 25, 2015: Haryana has contended that the riparian principal in case of Ravi-Beas water does not apply and that Punjab contention on this issue is not correct. The state has sought early hearing on the presidential reference on the validity of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act of 2004 which has been lying pending with the Supreme Court for nearly 10 years.
This was stated by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal in the 27th meeting of Northern Zonal Council at New Delhi which was presided over by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
He said that the surplus Ravi-Beas waters were distributed by the Government of India between different States, as the waters of these rivers came in signing of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. The State of joint Punjab, along with other States, was allocated surplus Ravi-Beas waters by Government of India, in addition to its existing utilization, on account of its then large arid areas, which now form a part of Haryana. Therefore, the riparian principle of sharing of surplus waters of Ravi and Beas does not apply in this case and the contention of the State of Punjab that these waters belong to Punjab only, is not correct, he added.
He said that Haryana is a water deficit state with respect to both surface and ground water resources. The groundwater level in the State particularly in the fresh water zone is depleting fast due to inevitable exploitation of ground water. As against the annual demand of 36.0 Million Acre Feet (MAF), the availability of water is only 14.0 MAF. On one hand, he said the state had to give, out of its own share in the Yamuna waters, extra water to Delhi in compliance of the Apex Court’s orders, on the other hand, Punjab is not delivering Haryana’s full share in the Ravi-Beas water. This is in spite of two orders and judgements of the court in the SYL canal matter. The Government of Punjab unilaterally decided to terminate all the inter-state agreements pertaining to the Ravi Beas waters in 2004. The Presidential Reference in this regard is pending before the Supreme Court, he added.
He said that the work on Hansi-Butana canal was started by state government to carry water from the Bhakra Main Line (BML) canal out of Haryana’s own share in the Ravi-Beas waters to the lift canal command for the dry and arid southern Haryana to ensure equitable distribution of the available water. Although this project had been cleared by the Central Water Commission from all angles, the canal stands rendered non-functional due to the suit filed by the State of Punjab against this project, although it does not affect Punjab in any manner, he added.
He said that the state at present is able to utilize only 1.62 MAF out of its allocation of 3.5 MAF in the Ravi-Beas waters through the BML canal. The balance share of Haryana is being utilized by default by Punjab and Rajasthan, at Harike. Punjab draws more than 1000 cusecs of water from the Nangal Hydel Channel for its Ropar Thermal Plant which should have been drawn through a link from the Anandpur Sahib Hydel channel/SYL canal allowing Haryana to carry more water for itself as well as also for Rajasthan through BML. He said that he would urge the Chief Minister, Punjab to start the work on the link between Anandpur Sahib and the Ropar Thermal Plant, so that Haryana is able to carry its share of water through BML as per the original project report of the SYL canal.
He said that the state government has already given its consent to Chandigarh Administration for drawal of 40 MGD water from Kajauli Head on BML for phase V and VI of drinking water supply scheme. He said that water from Kajauli Head should be distributed as per 1983 Agreement. However, if Punjab wants extra water for Mohali, then it should bring it from Anandpur Sahib Hydel Channel.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the construction of the three dams namely Renuka, Kishau and Lakhwar-Vyasi on the tributaries of river Yamuna should be expedited. The stored water in these dams will greatly help in meeting the requirements of drinking and irrigation water. / (Sk Vyas, Jalandhar)