To resolve the Delhi-Haryana water row, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Friday extended an invitation to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to visit Chandigarh, which the latter has accepted to discuss the water dispute between the two neighbouring States in April. Both met on Friday during the meeting of Upper Yamuna Review Committee at New Delhi chaired by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharati.
At the meeting, Manohar made it clear that it is not practical to provide water to Delhi by ignoring the interests of farmers and citizens of Haryana. He said that the water-deficit Haryana alone should not be banked upon for meeting the water needs of Delhi. Other States should also pitch in. He added that the Central Government should urge the Supreme Court for early hearing in the SYl case. He also urged the Central Government for Presidential Reference for this case which has been lying pending for the last ten years.
He demanded that Haryana should be given pending amount of Rs 106 crore for the construction of canal from Munak to Delhi by Delhi Government. Apart from this, Delhi Government should give pending amount of Rs 87.3 crore for the maintenance of part of Haryana canal in Delhi. Also, the remaining abyana (water charges) of Rs 2.3 crore of Haryana on Delhi farmers should also be paid immediately. It was also decided in the meeting to constitute a joint monitoring committee for regulation and monitoring of inter- state rivers and decision of these matters should not be left on the States.