AMRITSAR, MAY 17— The Ravi-Beas Waters Tribunal commenced a critical field evaluation across key hydraulic installations on Sunday, ahead of a scheduled evening consultation with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding inter-state water sharing.
The investigative team, led by Justice Vineet Saran (retired), is conducting a two-day administrative tour hosted by the state’s Water Resources Department. The visit is designed to monitor total water inflows, outflows, and overall utilization across the region.
State coordinators maintained that outdated allocation metrics have created severe operational stress for local distribution networks. Technical experts noted that the available supply within the Ravi-Beas basin has diminished by nearly 25 percent over the last four decades. Given these altered flow levels, government officials stated that the Chief Minister will advocate for a new distribution model that acknowledges the diminished 13 million acre-feet current volume, replacing the baseline figures established in 1981.
The itinerary includes strategic site visits to evaluate both supply deficits and ecological damage along the international border. The three-member panel will inspect the Harike and Hussainiwala headworks, alongside the Ballewal headworks on the Luther Canal in Ferozepur.
Government scientists declared that international industrial pollution has aggravated the water crisis in the state’s southwestern districts. Experts stated that toxic runoff originating from the leather manufacturing hub of Kasur in Pakistan drains directly into the Sutlej River, damaging local ecosystems. The state team asserted that they will present clear evidence of this pollution alongside detailed charts detailing canal water scarcity to the tribunal before the panel departs for its next phase in Rajasthan.
