*Asserts Punjab has no spare water for any other state*
*Says Punjab needs to be compensated for marvellous service rendered to nation*
*Moots idea of YSL instead of SYL for amicable resolution*
New Delhi, July 9: Desh Click News
Reiterating that Punjab has no surplus water for any other state, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday sought share for state in Indus waters and mooted the idea of Yamuna Satluj Link (YSL) canal instead of Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Participating in a meeting held here at Shram Shakti Bhawan, the Chief Minister reiterated that the state has no spare water to share with any other state and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water with anyone. He said that Punjab has no surplus water to share with any other state and reassessment of availability of water in the state is required as per international norms. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that most of the blocks of the state are over exploited and the groundwater situation in the state is very grim.
Likewise, the Chief Minister said that as most of the river resources of the state have dried up, so it needs more water to cater to its irrigation needs. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the situation is so grim that Punjab only has scant water, which it is providing to the food growers adding that in such a scenario there is no question of sharing even a drop of water with any other states. Meanwhile, he again proposed that the Indus Waters Treaty should be reconsidered, and efforts should be made to bring water from the Western Rivers to India to meet the growing water demand.
The Chief Minister said that the Opportunity of Indus Water Treaty Suspension must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of the state. He said that the recent decision by the Government of India to suspend the Indus Water Treaty opens up the possibility of greater utilization of water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) within Indian territory. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritized in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters.
The Chief Minister said that waters of the western rivers should be allocated to Punjab on a priority basis and new storage dams upstream of existing Bhakra and Pong Dams in Himachal Pradesh should be constructed. He said that this will significantly enhance the storage and regulation of western river waters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is the need of the hour so that Punjab, which has over exploited its only available natural resources in terms of water and fertile land for making country self reliant in food production, is duly compensated.
The Chief Minister said that The long-conceived project of Sharda-Yamuna Link need be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to the river Yamuna at a suitable location. He said that the additional water so available could offset the balance water requirement of the state of Haryana from the Ravi- Beas system apart from addressing the ever-growing drinking water requirement of capital city of Delhi and availability of the Yamuna water to the state of Rajasthan. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Under the aforesaid eventuality again the issue of construction of SYL canal could be shelved and put to rest forever.
The Chief Minister said that to cater to demands of Haryana Sarda Yamuna link should be constructed to transfer surplus Sarda water to the Yamuna River; and Chenab water can be diverted to River Beas through Rohtang tunnel to eliminate the need for the SYL canal. He said that Proceedings with respect to SYL matter (O.S. No. 6 of 1996) may be kept in abeyance till the decision of Ravi-Beas tribunal is awarded. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that MoU of 12.05.1994 of allocation of Yamuna waters between Delhi, U.P, H.P. and Rajasthan is going to be reviewed after 2025.
So, the Chief Minister demanded that Punjab should be included as partner State of Yamuna waters allocations and 60% waters of surplus Yamuna should be considered for State of Punjab while apportioning the Yamuna waters. He said that instead of Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the project should be now reconceived as Yamuna Satluj Link (YSL) as the Satluj river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water from it. Rather, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that water from Ganga and Yamuna should be supplied to Punjab through Satluj river.
The Chief Minister said that SYL canal is an ’emotive issue’ and Punjab will have serious law and order issue and it will become a national problem, with Haryana and Rajasthan also bearing the brunt. He categorically said that Land for SYL canal is not available as of today adding that Out of 34.34 MAF water of three rivers, Punjab was allocated only 14.22 MAF, which is 40%. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the remaining 60% was allocated to Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, even though none of these rivers actually flow through these states.
The Chief Minister said that Haryana is already getting (1.62 MAF Ravi-Beas and 4.33 MAF Sutlej Waters)=5.95 MAF from three rivers (Ravi, Beas & Sutlej) of Punjab. He said that In addition to Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, Haryana got additional 4.65 MAF Yamuna waters and further 1.62 MAF Sarda water by Sharda Yamuna Link. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to reduction in surface waters, pressure is putting on ground waters Ground adding that out of 153 blocks in Punjab, 115 have been declared over-exploited (75%), whereas in Haryana 61% (88 out of 143) are over exploited.
The Chief Minister said that number of tube wells in the state has increased from 6 lakhs in 1980’s to 14.76 lakh in 2018 (this includes the tube well installed only for agriculture) showing an increase of more than 200% during last 35 years. He said that Punjab has the highest rate of groundwater extraction (157%) in the entire nation, even higher than Rajasthan (150%) adding that Punjab ignores its own water requirement and gives about 60% water to meet the water requirements of non-riparian states in which Ravi-Beas and Sutlej Rivers do not pass. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab made a major contribution of 124.26 lakh metric tonne of wheat during 2024 which is 47% of the total procured in the India and also contributed 24% rice in centre pool.
The Chief Minister said that Total water requirement of Punjab is 52 MAF and water available with state of Punjab is only 26.75 MAF (Surface water from three rivers 12.46 MAF and Ground water 14.29 MAF). He said that The water of the Punjab Rivers is shared among the partner states whereas the flood from these rivers caused damage only in Punjab putting the State of Punjab to a huge financial burden every year. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as the benefits are shared in certain ratio among the partner states and it is therefore imperative if the State of Punjab is appropriately compensated by the partner states regarding the damages and destructions caused by the floods on annual basis.
The Chief Minister said that Agreements and decisions of tribunals should be reviewed in light of changed circumstances and environmental developments, as international norms mandate a review every 25 years. He said that Punjab seeking share of Yamuna water is similar to Haryana’s share of Ravi Beas waters as Irrigation Commission Report, Government of India, 1972 held that Punjab is riparian to Yamuna river. Bhagwant Singh Mann lamented that GOI is of the view that Punjab Reorganisation Act-1966 is silent about Yamuna Waters as these waters were not considered sharable between Punjab and Haryana.
The Chief Minister said that similarly the Act is also silent about Ravi Waters adding that Punjab has already enacted “Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004”, terminating 1981 Agreement relating to Surplus Ravi-Beas waters. He said that Punjab has maintained the existing utilization of Haryana of Ravi-Beas waters as per Clause 5 of Punjab termination of Agreements Act, 2004. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that no water is being released to Pakistan from Punjab side and the only water which reaches to Pakistan is from Ujh River which originates and flows through J&K.
The Chief Minister said that in wake of all these reasons it is imperative that YSL canal should be constructed to meet the water needs of the state. He said that Haryana has enough scope to get additional waters as the state l is also receiving 2.703 MAF water of River Ghaggar, Tangri Nadi, Markanda River, Saraswati Nadi, Chautang-Rakshi, Nai Nalah, Sahibi Nadi, Krishna Dhuan and Landoha Nalah. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this water is unaccounted till now while deciding the allocations of water between the States.