CHANDIGARH: The Beant Singh Government would press the Center to scrap all the interstate agreements on the apportionment of river waters and have a fresh look on the controversial SutlejYamuna Link Canal (SYL) which is to carry waters to Haryana.
The Consensus on this issue was amivedata meeting, the Chief Minister, Beant Singh, had with the MPs from the state here last week.
What added weight to this consensus was the presence of four union “ministers Balram Jakhar, Buta Singh.
R.L, Bhatia and’ Ms. Sukhbans Kaur “Bhinder, Jakhar and Buta Singh, who are otherwise from Punjab, represent Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha.
Both Jakhar and Buta Singh told media persons after the meeting,” We unanimously and solidly back Beant Singh on all the issues concerning Punjab.”
The Chief Minister said that the meeting had been convened to discuss the demands of Punjab. He said that the main thrust was on territorial and river water issues, but he refused) to elaborate.
He disclosed that he had convened a meeting of leaders the leaders of all the Opposition parties here on July 5th to discuss these very issues and ‘evolve consensus, The parties which have been extended the invitation, include, the Akali Dal, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BSP) and the two Communist parties.
The timing of mobilization of all the political parties on these issues is considered significant as the Haryana Government is pressing for the resumption of the construction of the SYL canal, which was suspended after the gunning down of the chief engineer and a superintending engineer of the SYL canal projection 1990.
The Haryana Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal, has sought the intervention of the Water Resources Minister, ‘V,C. Shukla, to press the Punjab Government to resume the construction of the carrier channel, The two chief ministers have already held a meeting ‘with Shukla.
According to the sources, it was predominant view at the meeting that the state government should approach the Supreme Court on the river waters issue. The two Congress MPs conspicuous by their absence were Surinder Singla and Venod Sharma.
The confidential note prepared by, the state government on the SYL canal issueand circulated at the meeting states that all the decisions taken and averments made after the state’s reorganization in 1966 should be scrapped and the entire water issue examined.
The state government is of the opinion that if the apportionment of the river waters is made as per the provisions of the Reorganization Act, 1966.
The share of Haryana could be delivered through the existing Bhakra canal system and the construction of the SYL canal might not be required.
Clarifying the stand of the Punjab Government, the note states that any decision on the appointment of the river waters should be arrived at strictly within the frame work of the Punjab Reorganization Act. In terms of this Act, waters of only the Beas River were to be apportioned. However, the Center, subsequently, apportioned the Ravi waters also to Haryana, on this analogy, Punjab has staked its claim on the Yamuna waters as Punjab was co-riparian state to. this river before 1966. Alternatively, Punjab is prepared to code its claim on Yamuna waters provided Haryana’s claim on Ravi waters is not recognized.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1995
