Chandigarh, Jan 28: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has proposed the formation of a Joint Working Group consisting of officers from both Punjab and Haryana to find a peaceful end to the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal dispute.
The proposal came during a meeting where the Chief Minister pointed out that Punjab is already grappling with the highest rate of groundwater extraction in the country. He mentioned that 115 out of 153 blocks in the state are now categorized as over-exploited due to the lack of surface water.
“Punjab ignores its own water requirements and gives about 60 percent of its water to meet the needs of non-riparian states,” Mann said. He noted that while Punjab shares its water, the state is left to handle the devastating impact of floods alone.
The Chief Minister mentioned that the current allocation already sees 60 percent of the water from the three main rivers going to Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan. He noted that Punjab receives only 14.22 Million Acre Feet of the total 34.34 MAF available.
“There is no question of winning or losing, but the interests and emotions of Punjab and Punjabis cannot be ignored,” Mann said. He noted that frequent meetings between the two states would be the most effective way to ensure progress and prosperity for the entire region.
The Chief Minister was joined by Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal and Chief Secretary KAP Sinha during the session.
