Chandigarh, Jul 9 (PTI) Punjab and Haryana Saturday raised several issues including the vexed Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, appointment of members in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the nature of Panjab University at the 30th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council in Jaipur.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the meeting. The aim of zonal council meetings is to resolve various interstate issues and those between the Center and states in a time-bound manner.
On the decades-long SYL issue, Haryana reiterated its stand of seeking its share of water from Ravi-Beas river by completing SYL canal while Punjab maintained its stance of setting up of a tribunal for assessment of water volume in the two rivers.
The SYL canal has been a bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana for several decades. Punjab has been demanding reassessment of the Ravi-Beas river water volume while Haryana has been seeking completion of the SYL canal to get its share of 3.5 million acre feet (MAF) of the river waters.
At the Jaipur meeting, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar pointed out that the completion of the construction work of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal is long pending and a serious issue between the states of Haryana and Punjab.
“Due to the non-completion of the SYL canal, surplus, unchanneled water of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas goes to Pakistan,” Khattar said, according to an official release.
He said Haryana has also been allotted a 3.50 million acre-feet share in the surplus water of Ravi-Beas as per the order of the Government of India dated March 24, 1976.
As per the decision taken in the meeting of the Union Jal Shakti Minister on August 18, 2020, with the chief ministers of both the states on the direction of the Supreme Court to resolve the issue, Punjab is not taking further action, added the CM while demanding that the meeting of the CMs of both the states regarding the SYL issue should be held soon.
Khattar also raised the issue of getting 700-1000 cusecs of less water even from the Bhakra main line canal.
From the Punjab side, cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains said Punjab does not have even a single drop of water to share with other states.
In an official release of the Punjab government, Bains said the ground water level in the state is already depleting and most of the blocks are in the dark zone. The assessment of river water sharing made by tribunals in the past was obsolete now in the current scenario, said Bains.
Bains demanded water from Haryana from Yamuna, citing the Indus commission report of 1972 and said that a fresh tribunal must be constituted to assess the current water situation in the state.
He said it will clear the picture and allow the judicious use of water in the state.
The minister said it is need of hour to ensure that Punjab’s water is not diverted to any other state through SYL or any other means.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who also attended the meeting, opposed any change in the nature and character of Panjab University.
He said any move of the government of India to convert Panjab University into a Central University will be opposed tooth and nail. “The University has an emotional place in the hearts of the people of Punjab on account of historical, cultural and provincial reasons,” said Cheema.
On the issue of PU, Haryana CM Khattar said the share of Haryana in Panjab University should be restored and the colleges of Haryana adjoining Chandigarh should also be affiliated with this University.
Haryana’s share in Panjab University was granted under the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966. It was abolished by the Union Home Ministry by issuing a notification on November 1, 1973.
Earlier the colleges of the erstwhile Ambala district of Haryana were affiliated to this University. Therefore, the Home Minister is requested to amend the rules to restore the share of Haryana State in Panjab University, said Khattar.
The Punjab ministers also opposed the Centre’s move of changing rules for the selection criteria of BBMB members.
They said any such move of removing the member from the state was “unwarranted and undesirable”.
On the BBMB issue, Khattar said the tradition of nominating the member (Irrigation) from Haryana should be continued.
If there is interference in the processes which have been going on for the last about 56 years, it will affect the interests of Haryana, especially in the context of Sutlej- Beas river water sharing, said Khattar.
The BBMB, which is a statutory body under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 manages the water resources of Sutlej and Beas. It has a whole-time chairman and two members –member (irrigation) and member (power).
According to the convention, the member (power) is always from Punjab and member (irrigation) is from Haryana and they are selected from a panel of senior engineers. But the changes in the rules for selection criteria allowed anyone to apply for these posts.
Punjab ministers Bains and Cheema also opposed the proposal of Rajasthan and Haryana governments to fully fill the Pong and Bhakra Dam, saying it will result in floods in Punjab and can cause loss of life and property in the state. PTI CHS VSD TIR TIR
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