Panel working out formula to charge states for riverwaters

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

Three months after the Punjab Assembly directed the state government to recover dues of water flowing into non-riparian states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, the state government has initiated the process of assessing the cost.

A technical committee, formed by the government earlier this year, is in the process of determining how much of the amount is to be charged from the three states.

The committee comprises technical consultant on water issues SK Goyal and interstate water issues expert Pritam Singh Kumedan. Senior officials told The Tribune that the committee had already submitted its interim report.

Sources say the committee has given the calculation regarding the quantum of water that has flown into the three states (10.54 MAF to Rajasthan, 5.95 MAF to Haryana and 0.2 MAF to Delhi). They have also sought the help of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to calculate the figure in cusecs.

The sources say the technical committee has made two observations — the method for calculating the charges to be imposed could either be based on basis of benefit to agriculture productivity in these states (by including the cost of running 14 lakh tubewells in the agriculture sector in Punjab) or the loss suffered on account of the receding water table in Punjab due to incessant use of ground water.

The other method suggested by the committee is to make the calculations on the basis of historical levy of user charges to the kingdoms of Bikaner and Bhawalpur states as determined by the British before Independence. The rates that the British government had imposed on these states for supplying water from the Ferozepur headworks have also been given in the interim report.

The committee has also sought the help of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), a senior official in Punjab government said.

He said once the report from PAU experts was received, they would be sending the bills to the three states. “But the final decision will have to be taken by the political party that assumes office after the election results,” said the officer.