CM seeks fresh tribunal on river waters, writes to Modi

Chandigarh

Even as Punjab got temporary relief today when the Supreme Court gave four more months to Punjab, Haryana and the Centre to find an amicable solution to break the deadlock between the two states over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, the state government has made a fresh bid before the Centre for a reassessment of the volume of river waters.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a fresh tribunal for reassessment of river waters in Punjab. While giving a background of the sensitive issue, the CM, is his two-page letter, has also touched the law and order implications on the sensitive issue.

The CM is reported to have also raised the issue at today’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, though there was no official statement on this.
Punjab has been contesting that the availability of surface water has drastically changed over the years and the state is facing a severe shortage of groundwater due to its over exploitation.

Demanding that a tribunal be set up for a reassessment of river water in Punjab, including the Ravi-Beas basin, Punjab has stated that it has been 30 years since the assessment of Ravi-Beas waters was done by the Eradi Tribunal (set up in 1986). The amount of water coming in the basin has fallen drastically, hence the need for its reassessment. Initially estimated at 17 MAF (million acre feet), the Eradi Tribunal had put its estimates at 19 MAF. Now, the flow in the rivers has come down from17.17 MAF to 14.34 MAF.
The state has stated that in case the canal was constructed, 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land in Punjab would turn into a desert. Total agricultural land in Punjab is 105 lakh acres, compared to 80 lakh acres in Haryana.

Besides, the state, at its meeting with the officials of Haryana and the Centre, has staked its claim to Yamuna waters. Punjab argues that if Haryana stakes claim to water on the plea that it was also a part of Punjab before reorganisation in 1966, then Haryana should also share Yamuna waters. As Haryana draws 4.65 MAF through the Yamuna, 60 per cent of it should be shared with Punjab, says the state.