Will counter claim on state’s water: Minister

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 3

The Irrigation Department has confirmed that it is ready “both technically and legally” to ensure that not a single drop of excess water flows outside the state.

Earlier, an assurance was given by Central Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar to provide a road map to solve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.

Irrigation Department sources confirmed that senior officers “have been put on the job for the past two months to ensure that the Punjab government is technically correct to oppose water sharing with any state”.

Even the legal doors are open and all aspects are being discussed, they said.

Punjab Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said sharing of water with other states was not feasible when Punjab itself was short of water to irrigate fields. “When I met Uma Bharti in November 2014, I had opposed the water sharing and river interlinking proposal terming it disastrous for Punjab,” he said.

Dhillon claimed Bharti had expressed her concern and agreed to look into the matter again. “Even I was surprised after learning about a proposal to solve river water dispute between Punjab and Haryana as I had clearly told Bharti that an arrangement of river interlinking would turn green Punjab fields into barren land,” he said.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has already ruled out any possibility of interlinking the rivers as it was practically not feasible “because Punjab has not even a single drop of surplus water”. Capt Amarinder too has said the Union minister has no business to make such an announcement when the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh alleged a “deep-rooted conspiracy was being hatched by the BJP-led Central Government in connivance with Haryana government to rob Punjab of its river waters.

Dhillon said his department was working on all aspects to save state’s waters. “We will not let our waters irrigate other states at the cost of our farmers. We are fully prepared although I cannot share the details,” he stated.

‘We don’t have a single drop of surplus water’

The Chief Minister should not negotiate on the matter as Punjab doesn’t have surplus water. Efforts should be made to save farmers who are already reeling under debt and are forced to commit suicide. — Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Chief Minister