MP demands royalty on Punjab riverwaters

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 24

“The issue of Punjab waters and Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) is not just political. It concerns the future of coming Punjab generations,” said Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi today.

Dr Gandhi said it did not surprise him that leaders of Punjab and Haryana were doing politics over the issue, but what surprised him was that the Supreme Court had issued “such dictatorial statement that SYL will be dug up at all cost and Punjab will have to get it dug up.”

Demanding distribution of Punjab waters through riparian principles and royalty to Punjab on waters diverted to non-riparian states of Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana, Dr Gandhi demanded royalty from neighbouring states.

Dr Gandhi said water flowing through the rivers of Punjab, under the riparian principle, belongs to the state and could not be allowed to flow freely. “Control of dams and power generation should be transferred to the Punjab government. The state shall decide how much water is surplus after meeting its own agricultural and drinking water needs,” he said.