|
Haryana incharge of Punjab's
waters, now Act must change
WSN Network
 PATIALA: For
decades, Punjab has been producing food grain for the rest of
India
and ensuring food security of the country, while also losing
precious micro-nutrients, soil quality, and ground water. Most of
the ground water consumed in agriculture is because of paddy
cultivation while
Punjab
is not even a rice-eating state. So the power consumed, the diesel
burnt and the water table depleted should all have been compensated
for by the central government.
Instead, Punjab
is now suffering insults upon such injury as the central government
remains adamant on not appointing anyone from Punjab as Member
(Irrigation) of the Bakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
|
Water from
Punjab flows into Haryana and Rajasthan through three main
channels -Beas waters are carried by the Rajasthan canal from
Harike headworks, the Bakhra Main Canal from Bakhra dam carries
Sutlej waters, and Sirhind feeders pour water into the Bikaner
canal. |
|
The BBMB has two
members -- irrigation and power -- apart from the chairman but ever
since the linguistic state of Punjab has come into being in 1966,
the central government has used the ruse of appointing an engineer
from Haryana as member, irrigation, and a person from
Punjab
as member, power. The arrangement has not been reversed even once
even though
Punjab
is a majorly agricultural state and has equal right over managing
irrigation domain.
Now, the Punjab
Government seems to be taking some initial steps to rectify the
anomaly even though it is not known how serious are the intentions
of Badal regime. Punjab jas sought amendment in the Punjab
Reorganisation Act of 1966 to stress its claim on the post of
member, Irrigation, in the Bakhra Beas Management Board.
At a recently
held meeting with officials of the Union Ministry for Water
Resources and the Central Water Commission (CWC), officials from the
state demanded that an engineer from Punjab be made member,
irrigation, for proper regulation of water, "of which Punjab is the
source".
Punjab
Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon says: "Punjab
is the main share holder and source of water, but for many years
Haryana has been in charge of irrigation, which is unfair." The
state's interest is thus neglected, he said, adding the Act needed
an amendment to set things right.
Top officials of
the department say the Act is silent on which state gets which post.
"It has been a matter of convention, but now we want clarity," said
one.
Division of
water for drinking and irrigation purposes is determined at the end
of every month at a meeting of officials from the CWC, BBMB, and
chief engineers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, as per the needs
of states and availability of water.
Shares have
otherwise been determined by the Bakhra Nangal Act, 1959, and the
Ravi Beas Agreement, 1981. "Though we have protected our rights
through the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, still there
are issues that need to be made clear," added the official.
7
October 2009
|
Read Also