On Haryana’s ongoing water dispute with National capital Delhi, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday reiterated that the State is supplying more water to Delhi than its legitimate share as per 1994 MoU.
While speaking at the fifth meeting of Upper Yamuna Review Committee in New Delhi on Tuesday, he said, “The Carrier lined Channel has been completed by Haryana, However, Delhi must plug the unauthorised cut, so that Carrier lined Channel may become operational.”
On the water availability in Haryana, Hooda said that the State has only 14 MAF of water as compared to the requirement of 36 MAF. Haryana is getting much less water from Yamuna at Tajewala than the water supply to Delhi despite the fact that during the lean period Delhi’s share is much less as compared to Haryana’s share. “There is also decline in the contribution of water from Sahibi, Krishnavati and Dohan rivers, tributaries of Yamuna, because of the construction of check dams by Rajasthan in the catchments areas of these rivers. This has resulted in acute problem of water in southern Haryana,” he added.
“Our State used to help Delhi for drinking water, there was a breach in the Upper Ganga Canal, which feeds Sonia Vihar Treatment Plant. Haryana immediately diverted water to Delhi from its own share without waiting for formal procedure. On the issue of 80 MGD of water being claimed by Delhi, it is actually a non-issue and Haryana does not support the decision to set up a GoM on this issue,” said the Chief Minister.
Hooda urged the Upper Yamuna Review Committee to attend to all the water related issues of Yamuna basin States.
He supported the proposal regarding expediting the construction of storage projects at Renuka, Kishau and lakhwar Vyasi. On the issue of water problems with UP and Rajasthan, Hooda said that these will be sorted out in meetings with these States.