Khattar says Punjab should honour water-sharing pacts
We will never hesitate in taking legal recourse to safeguard our interests and protect rights of the state’s residents. MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR , Haryana chief minister
CHANDIGARH: Asking Punjab to honour and implement watersharing agreements, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that the state BJP government wanted to settle every contentious inter-state issue amicably.
“Our faith in the Constitution of India is full and unflinching. We will never hesitate in taking legal recourse to safeguard our interests and to protect the rights of the residents of the state,” Khattar said in his address during the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) meeting, chaired by Union home minister Rajnath Singh here. The inter-state water sharing dispute with Punjab dominated Khattar’s discourse who used the opportunity to send a message across that Haryana will explore every option to safeguard its interests.
He said entire villages in Haryana were parched as Punjab was not releasing water as per agreements. “Haryana is a waterstressed state as against demand of 36 MAF water, only 14.7 MAF is available. We have to give, out of our share in the Yamuna waters, extra water to Delhi as per the apex court’s orders even as Punjab is not delivering Haryana’s full share of the Ravi-Beas water,” Khattar said, raising the SYL dispute. Khattar invited Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to participate in the Saraswati rejuvenation project, a government spokesperson said. Urging the Centre to speed up the construction of Renuka, Kishau and Lakhwar-Vyasi dams on the Yamuna, he said it was a matter of national concern that even after the signing the Indus Water Treaty in 1960, more than 3 MAF of water is being allowed to flow into Pakistan.
“We are not in agreement with Punjab on their proposal of exclusive investment in the Bhakra Main Line Canal and of exclusive utilisation of the electricity generated there by Punjab,” he said.
Expressing hope that the talks will help evolve a consensus, Khattar said: “I am sure we will not lose sight of promotion of cooperative federalism.” Khattar urged Rajnath to recommend to the Centre and the National Capital Region (NCR) Planning Board to provide liberal assistance to the state’s efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and upgrade agricultural marketing infrastructure.