Vociferously championing Punjab’s cause on various fronts, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday raised a multitude of crucial issues during the 31st meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC), presided over by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Amritsar.
Strongly opposing Rajasthan’s demand for a member in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), Mann argued that the BBMB primarily deals with the successor states of Punjab and Haryana as per the Punjab Reorganization Act of 1966. Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh are not covered under this Act, and therefore, Mann vehemently opposed the proposal to include a member from either of these states in the BBMB.
He also raised concerns about the Shanan Power House in Jogindernagar, Himachal Pradesh, which the hill state has claimed should be transferred to them as the 99-year lease of the land is expiring in 2024. Mann emphasized that the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) was entrusted with this project under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganization Act, and this arrangement has remained unaltered for over half a century. He stressed the need for the Government of India to uphold this legal position.
Mann further opposed the recruitment of Members of Irrigation and Power in BBMB through direct recruitment via open channels. He argued that this new approach alters the traditional arrangement wherein the Member Power always came from Punjab, and the Member Irrigation came from Haryana. The Chief Minister called for the restoration of the original pre-2022 position.
Regarding the full reservoir levels (FRL) of Pong and Bhakra Dams, Mann pointed out that the original design heights of these dams were set at 1400 feet and 1685 feet for Pong and Bhakra Dams, respectively. He highlighted that due to severe floods in Punjab in 1988, a decision was made to lower the FRL of both dams by 10 feet and 5 feet, respectively. Punjab faced the brunt of these floods, with no support from neighboring states.
Mann emphasized that as other states do not offer assistance during such crises, it is unjustifiable to increase the FRL of these dams. He vehemently opposed this move and called for a reconsideration of the decision.
He also expressed opposition to the waiver of conditions for Himachal Pradesh’s water supply and irrigation schemes, stressing the need for a “no objection certificate”.
Chief Minister made a strong case for handing over Chandigarh to Punjab as its capital city only, highlighting the historical and geographical reasons for Punjab's claim. He emphasized that Chandigarh's status as a union territory was unjustified, and it should be governed by Punjab only. Currently, Chandigarh is the capital city of both Punjab and Haryana.
The dispute over Punjab University's affiliation with Haryana also found its way into the discussion. Mann pointed out that Haryana had not expressed any interest in affiliating its colleges with Punjab University in the past but was now demanding it. He questioned the sudden change in Haryana's stance, while reiterating Punjab Government’s stand that there should be no change in the varsity’s status. “Panjab University is our University and we will continue to support and fund it in future also,” he said.
Mann categorically rejected the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, asserting that Punjab had no surplus water to share with Haryana. He suggested the canal be transformed into a Yamuna-Satluj Link (YSL) canal, aligning it with current realities.
He said that Satluj river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water from it; rather water from Ganga and Yamuna should be supplied to Punjab through Satluj river.
He stressed the importance of reevaluating water-sharing agreements and suggested the establishment of a new tribunal to address the water dispute. Mann noted that Punjab faced groundwater depletion issues, with 76.5 per cent of its blocks being over-exploited, while Haryana had only 61.5 per cent over-exploited blocks.
In a cautionary note, Mann said that SYL canal is a highly ‘emotive issue’ for Punjab and construction of this canal will lead to serious law and order issues and it will become a national problem, with Haryana and Rajasthan also suffering the impact.
Mann said that Haryana is not the basin state of the rivers Ravi and Beas, but Punjab is forced to share waters of these rivers with Haryana adding that if Haryana gets Ravi-Beas waters being a successor State of Punjab, on the same analogy, Yamuna waters should also be shared with Punjab being a successor State.
Firmly pleading for utilization of discharge of river Ujh and Ravi going waste to Pakistan, the Chief Minister said that the state had proposed long back to stop this water by constructing a barrage across River Ravi just downstream to the confluence point of River Ujh with River Ravi. “This project should be cleared and its execution should be allowed on fast track,” he said.
Mann pleaded for a revision of flood relief norms, highlighting the heavy damage caused to Punjab due to excessive rainfall in hilly areas. He emphasized the need for a relaxation of compensation norms to adequately support flood-affected people. The Chief Minister also voiced concerns about the financial burden on Punjab related to the deployment of paramilitary forces for maintaining law and order. He called for abolishing the clause requiring Punjab to pay for these forces and requested a more generous allocation of companies when needed.
Security issues were another critical aspect of Mann's address. He called for the establishment of a regional center of the National Security Guards (NSG) in Pathankot, emphasizing Punjab's vulnerability to terror attacks due to its border location.
Mann also advocated for the development of technology to counter the threat of drones, proposing the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Drones in Punjab. He highlighted the increasing use of drones for espionage, smuggling, and potential terror attacks, necessitating a proactive approach.
The Chief Minister raised concerns about illegal travel agents operating in Punjab, who deceive young individuals with promises of overseas jobs but end up providing them with tourist visas, leaving them stranded. Mann called for the registration of travel agents dealing with manpower export and stricter enforcement of the Indian Emigration Act.
On the issue of grain procurement, Mann pointed out that Punjab had been diligently contributing to the nation's food security but was not being adequately reimbursed by the central government. He stressed the need for the central government to fulfill its commitment to the state.
He also opposed the imposition of a water cess by Himachal Pradesh on hydro power projects, citing provisions in the Inter State River Water Disputes Act. The Chief Minister also sought the release of the Rural Development Fund (RDF), which had been pending for a considerable time. He emphasized that the Punjab government had addressed all ambiguities but was still awaiting the release of the funds.