Hooda hails HC’s decision on Dadupur-Nalvi canal

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has welcomed the high court's decision declaring the de-notification of the Dadupur-Nalvi canal as unconstitutional. He termed the verdict a slap on the BJP government’s policies.

“It has become clear from this decision that the BJP deliberately de-notified the state's largest water recharge canal to harm the farmers and the state. This was a historic and revolutionary project initiated during the Congress government. We opposed the BJP’s decision to shut it down from day one. Now, the BJP has been completely exposed in court,” Hooda said.

Hooda highlighted that the work on the Dadupur-Nalvi canal began in 2004-05 under the Congress government, with 1,026 acres acquired for a 50-km stretch. “Water flowed in the canal until 2017, benefiting farmers by irrigating their fields and recharging groundwater levels,” he added.

He criticised the BJP for closing the canal in 2018 after it had been operational for over a decade. “This is the first time in the state's history that a running canal was closed. Not only that, but the government even removed and sold the canal's soil,” Hooda alleged.

The Congress leader further said farmers had expressed strong anger over the BJP's decision and had been agitating for years. Despite this, the government failed to address their concerns.

“BJP should learn from the court’s decision and immediately pay the outstanding compensation owed to farmers,” he added.