CHANDIGARH: The boycott by the BSP, CPI, CPM and JD and walk out by the Akali Dal marked the opening day of the budget session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here last week.
Mr. Inderjit Singh Zira (Akali Dal) read a statement as the Governor, Lt Gen (Retd), B.K.N. Chhibber, started his address followed by walk out by his party legislators.
The Governor, in his opening address, emphatically declared that the stale was in no position to part any more with its scarce and precious Fiver water resources.
‘He said that the state government had’ been magnanimous to the neighboring states in the past “To those who are looking for a larger share of our river waters, we would like to say emphatically, but with politeness, that which our own farmers are legitimately clamoring for more water, we are not in a position to part with any more of this scarce and precious resources,” he said adding that this stand of the state government rests on law and justice, equality and prevailing practices.
He said the underground water resources had been continuously over exploited and the farmers had to increasingly depend upon river waters. OF the 42, 05 lakh hectares of land under agriculture, around 38% of the land area is provided irrigation by canals and state tube wells.
He asserted that preservation of peace would continue to be the top most priority of the state government. The rule of law would prevail, human rights would be respected and an atmosphere of peace send tranquility would be maintained at all casts. The State government would seek the cooperation of all the sections of society in this direction.
He said that the assassination of the then Chief Minister Beant Singh, who had valiantly led the fight against militancy, had only made the resolve of the state government stronger to fight the forces of militancy and separatism.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 6, 1996
