Patiala,
Rejecting the subtle advocacy by Prime Minister Narinder Modi of rights of other states over river waters of Punjab in uncertain terms Dr Dharamvira Gandhi member Parliament from Patiala reminded the Prime Minister that as per the internationally accepted riparian rights, the waters belong to the states where the river flows. He further added that neither Sutlej nor Ravi nor Beas flow through Haryana or Rajasthan nor do they belong to Basin of Indus River. Before partition, state of Bikaner paid for the water it drew from Hussainiwala through Gang Canal as the British Viceroy took a clear view that Bikaner was not a Riparian State. And this practice continued well into 1948. Dr Dharamvira asserted that when the rivers are not interstate rivers how come an ‘interstate dispute’ is made out? Rajasthan and Haryana are unnecessarily made out to be a party and issue presented as an ‘Interstate Dispute”. Only J&K, Himachal and Punjab have rights over the water of these rivers. Centre too is needlessly poking its nose into it. He demanded that the sections 78,79,and 80 of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 be amended to bring it in line with the Riparian Rights over river waters and the control of water works be handed over to them.
Recalling the history Dr Gandhi said that had the Punjab state in the year 1948 not stopped water flowing to Pakistan, Indian government would have not woken up and water continued to flow to Pakistan and Indus Water Treaty no signed. The daring step by Punjab was however awarded with depriving Punjab of its waters by and giving it free to Rajasthan and Delhi.
The Member parliament from Patiala expressed surprise that prior to the year 1954-55 14.75 lac Hectares of area of United Punjab was irrigated by canal system while Rajasthan had only 2.51 hectares and that too through Gang canal for which State of Bikaner used to pay. At the time of division of Punjab in 1966, as per a 1969-70 data Punjab had canal irrigated area of 13.96 lac hectares and Haryana 9.50 lac hectares while canal irrigated area in Rajasthan went up three times to 7.50 lac hectares. By the year 2010-11 Punjab had canal irrigated area down by 2.0 lac hectares to 11.00 lac while Rajathan and Haryana went up to 16.25 lacs and 12.50 lac hectares respectively?
Dr Dharamvira blamed successive Congress and Shromni Akali Dal governments for loss of Canal irrigation in Punjab and condemned the total silence of Badals on the River Water Issue in the presence of the Prime Minister Modi and said this has totally exposed their reneges on Punjab.
Novemebr 26, 2016 ;