Centre to hold meet on river water row

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

The Centre will convene a meeting of chief ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan soon to find out an amicable solution to the long-pending dispute on sharing of river waters among them.

The sharing of waters between Punjab and Haryana and the festering issue of the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, however, will be a key element during the meeting. The meeting will be presided over by Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Water Resources Secretary UP Singh said, “Water is a state subject. The ministry can only play the role of a facilitator between states in settling disputes,” he added.

Meanwhile, the ministry has prepared a fresh draft of a Bill to amend the Inter-State Water Disputes Act. It will soon be submitted to the Union Cabinet for clearance. The proposed amendments include making a permanent “tribunal” to settle disputes referred to it within a stipulated time.