New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Stressing that Punjab wants extra water to cater to its irrigation wants, as many of the state’s river sources have dried up, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday sought a share for the state in Indus waters and mooted the concept of Yamuna-Satluj Link (YSL) canal as a substitute of Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal undertaking.
Mann stated that the state of affairs was so dire that Punjab had solely scant water, which it was offering to meals growers, including that in such a situation, there was no query of sharing even a drop of water with some other state.
Participating in a gathering held right here at Shram Shakti Bhawan, the Punjab CM reiterated that the state has no spare water to share with some other state and there was no query of sharing even a single drop of water with anybody.
According to a launch, he said that Punjab has no surplus water to share with some other state and {that a} reassessment of water availability within the state is required in accordance with worldwide norms. Mann said that many of the state’s blocks are overexploited, and the groundwater state of affairs within the state is dire.
Meanwhile, he once more proposed that the Indus Waters Treaty needs to be reconsidered, and efforts needs to be made to carry water from the Western Rivers to India to fulfill the rising water demand.
The Chief Minister stated that the chance of the Indus Water Treaty Suspension should be duly utilised to fulfil the water wants of the state. He stated that the latest determination by the Government of India to droop the Indus Water Treaty opens up the potential for better utilisation of water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) inside Indian territory.
Mann stated that Punjab, which is presently going through groundwater depletion, should be prioritised in any future methods for the utilization, diversion, or allocation of river waters.
The Chief Minister said that the waters of the western rivers needs to be allotted to Punjab on a precedence foundation, and new storage dams needs to be constructed upstream of the present Bhakra and Pong Dams in Himachal Pradesh. He stated that it will considerably improve the storage and regulation of western river waters.
Mann stated that it’s the want of the hour in order that Punjab, which has overexploited its solely obtainable pure sources by way of water and fertile land, is duly compensated, thereby making the nation self-reliant in meals manufacturing.
The Chief Minister said that the long-conceived Sharda-Yamuna Link undertaking must be taken up as a precedence, and surplus water be transferred to the River Yamuna at an appropriate location. He stated that the extra water obtainable might offset the steadiness water requirement of Haryana from the Ravi-Beas system, aside from addressing the ever-growing consuming water requirement of the capital metropolis of Delhi and the supply of the Yamuna water to the state of Rajasthan.
CM Mann stated that beneath the aforesaid eventuality, once more, the problem of the development of the SYL canal could possibly be shelved and put to relaxation endlessly.
The Chief Minister said that to cater to Haryana’s calls for, the Sharda-Yamuna hyperlink needs to be constructed to switch surplus Sharda water to the Yamuna River, and Chenab water may be diverted to the River Beas via the Rohtang tunnel, thereby eliminating the necessity for the SYL canal.
He stated that proceedings with respect to the SYL matter of 1996 could also be saved in abeyance until the choice of the Ravi-Beas tribunal is awarded. Mann stated that the MoU of May 12, 1994, on the allocation of Yamuna waters between Delhi, UP, HP and Rajasthan goes to be reviewed after 2025.
Mann demanded that Punjab be included as a accomplice state in Yamuna water allocations, and that 60 per cent of the excess Yamuna waters be thought-about for the State of Punjab when apportioning the Yamuna waters.
The Punjab CM stated that as a substitute of the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the undertaking ought to now be reconceived because the Yamuna Satluj Link (YSL), because the Satluj River has already dried up and there’s no query of sharing even a single drop of water from it. Rather, Mann stated that water from the Ganga and Yamuna needs to be provided to Punjab via the Satluj river.
The Chief Minister said that the SYL canal is an ’emotive concern’ and that Punjab will face severe legislation and order issues, which is able to escalate right into a nationwide concern, with Haryana and Rajasthan additionally being affected. He categorically said that Land for the SYL canal isn’t obtainable as of as we speak, including that out of 34.34 MAF of water from the three rivers, Punjab was allotted solely 14.22 MAF, which is 40 per cent.
Mann stated that the remaining 60 per cent was allotted to Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan, regardless that none of those rivers really move via these states.
The Chief Minister stated that agreements and choices of tribunals needs to be reviewed in gentle of modified circumstances and environmental developments, as worldwide norms mandate a assessment each 25 years. He said that Punjab’s declare to a share of Yamuna water is much like Haryana’s share of Ravi-Beas waters, because the Irrigation Commission Report, Government of India, 1972, held that Punjab is a riparian state to the Yamuna River.
Bhagwant Mann lamented that the Government of India is of the view that the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, is silent in regards to the Yamuna Waters, as these waters weren’t thought-about shareable between Punjab and Haryana.
This comes after Mann held a gathering with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini right here. (ANI)