To evolve consensus and formulate a national strategy for tackling the deteriorating water situation in the country, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday suggested an all-party meeting under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
Making the suggestion during a courtesy call on Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Chief Minister said that water is a national problem which needs to be discussed and resolved at national level.
Capt Amarinder, in an informal chat with media after meeting the Minister, said that the all-party meetings could be held region-wise to make the process more streamlined and effective, with the Prime Minister chairing each of them.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating water crisis in the country, he said that these meetings would help develop consensus on steps need to save the precious natural resource.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said that the SYL issue was not discussed during his meeting with the Union Minister as it was sub-judice.
The Chief Minister revealed that the problem of Punjab’s Buddha Nallah came up for discussion and he had assured Shekhawat that work was in progress to clean it. The state government had set for itself a two-year deadline for the task, he added
Capt Amarinder informed the Union Minister that STPs were being operationalised to ensure that the Buddha Nallah is not further messed up by the affluent from various industries. The dyeing industry, he said, was a major cause for the problem.
Shekhawat appreciated the ‘Punjab Bijli Bachao Paisa Kamao’ scheme. Pointing out that 85 percent water goes into irrigation, he said that if 10 percent of the water used for agriculture could be saved, India’s water crisis could be solved for the next 50 years.