In a hard-hitting stand, the Haryana Government on Saturday said the riparian principle in case of Ravi-Beas water does not apply and Punjab’s contention on this issue is not correct.
The State sought early hearing on the presidential reference on the validity of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act of 2004, which has been lying pending with the Supreme Court for nearly 10 years.
In the 27th meeting of Northern Zonal Council at New Delhi, presided by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar said the surplus Ravi-Beas waters were distributed by the Government of India between different States, as the waters of these rivers came in for an exclusive use by India, after signing of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
The State of Joint Punjab, along with other States, was allocated surplus Ravi-Beas waters by Government of India, in addition to its existing utilisation, on account of its then large arid areas, which now form a part of Haryana.
Therefore, the riparian principle of sharing of surplus waters of Ravi and Beas does not apply in this case and the contention of the State of Punjab that these waters belong to Punjab only is not correct, he added.
Manohar lal Khattar said Haryana is a water deficit State with respect to both surface and groundwater resources.
The Chief Minister reiterated the construction of the three dams namely Renuka, Kishau and lakhwar-Vyasi on the tributaries of river Yamuna should be expedited. The stored water in these dams will greatly help in meeting the requirements of drinking and irrigation water.