Chandigarh, Oct 27 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday drew a firm line on the state’s river waters, declaring that not a single drop of the state’s rightful share would be surrendered as the Assembly passed a resolution asserting the state’s rights.
Vowing to fight from courts to streets, he questioned Rajasthan’s continued access to Punjab’s water without payment, pegged the state’s outstanding royalty claim at Rs 1.43 lakh crore, and asserted that Rajasthan and Haryana had no share in the waters of the Ravi and the Beas.
The Chief Minister pointed out his government is strengthening the state’s own irrigation network, expanding canal water access from 22 to 80 per cent of fields in four years and laying 14,000 km of underground pipelines.
Participating in discussions on resolutions concerning river waters and other important issues on the final day of the Assembly session, CM Mann said Punjab would no longer tolerate injustice in the distribution of its precious water resources. “Water is a state subject, and the control of headworks rests with the states. Punjab will vigorously pursue its legitimate rights and will not allow the state’s interests to be sacrificed,” he said.
Questioning Haryana’s claim over Ravi-Beas waters, the Chief Minister said, “It is unfair that Haryana stakes its claim over Ravi-Beas waters while Punjab’s rightful share in Yamuna waters is ignored, despite the Yamuna being part of undivided Punjab.”
Highlighting the transformation in irrigation, CM Mann said when his government assumed office in 2022, only 22 per cent of Punjab’s water resources were being utilised, whereas the figure had now risen to nearly 80 per cent.
“We have undertaken an extensive overhaul of Punjab’s irrigation network to ensure that canal water reaches even the tail-end fields. By cleaning ‘rajbahas’, laying 14,000 km of pipelines and rejuvenating canals and watercourses, we have strengthened the irrigation system and improved access to water for farmers.”
The Chief Minister said the government has revived the Kandi Canal after nearly four decades and operationalised eight new canals in Pathankot, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts.
“These initiatives have significantly improved irrigation access, with 60.80 lakh acres of land being irrigated through the government’s efforts. Our commitment is to ensure that every drop counts, strengthen agriculture and provide much-needed relief to farmers,” he said.
The Chief Minister asserted that the government would pursue every legitimate avenue to protect Punjab’s water rights and secure justice for its people.
–IANS
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