New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday asserted the state has no surplus water for others and demanded its legitimate share in the Indus waters.
He also mooted the idea of a Yamuna Sutlej Link (YSL) canal instead of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Participating in a meeting held at Shram Shakti Bhawan here on the SYL canal issue, Mann said Punjab has no surplus water to share with others and asserted that a reassessment of the availability of water in the state is needed according to international norms.
The groundwater situation in Punjab is very grim, he said, adding that since most of the river resources of the state have dried up, it needs more water to cater to its irrigation needs.
The scant amount of water Punjab has is being provided to farmers, and in such a scenario, there is no question of sharing even a drop of water with any other state, the chief minister said.
He said the opportunity that has opened up with the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of the state. Efforts should be made to bring water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to meet the growing demand, Mann added.
He pointed out that India’s decision to suspend the water treaty with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack opens up the possibility of greater utilisation of water from the western rivers.
Mann went on to stress that Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritised in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters. PTI SKC NSD NSD
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