The longstanding tussle between two Congress-led Governments of Delhi and Haryana over water sharing does not seem to cease. Despite the Centre’s intervention, Munak Canal imbroglio is yet to be resolved. The Group of Minister (GoM) constituted to resolve the issue has already submitted its report but the matter could not be sorted out up till now. The term of the GoM headed by then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, has expired six months ago.
Concerned over no progress in the matter for six months, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has now decided to seek help from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Delhi’s share of water from Haryana through Munak Canal. The Delhi Government has already paid `400 crore to Haryana Government for facilitating of construction of the canal.
“The old GoM is obsolete now. We need to request the PM to form a new GoM which could help solve the on-going inter-state water problems. We have spent a lot of money to augment potable water to the people, but we are not getting water in return from other States,” said Dikshit on Thursday.
She was speaking during the presentation of Delhi Jal Board. The 102-kms canal between Munak in Haryana border and Haiderpur in Delhi has is expected to save 80 million gallons of water per day (MGD) in the city.
Dikshit also said that she would also meet Minister of Water Resource Harish Rawat and discuss the matter with him. “The pressures of the ever increasing population of the city of Delhi are a big challenge before the Board, who holds the responsibility of fulfilling the need of one and all. But still we are trying our best to ensure equitable distribution of water. We are trying to get surplus of water this summer and I assure you that no one will complain about shortage of water this time,” she said.
The fight between Delhi and Haryana over water supply from this canal has been going on for almost seven years without reaping any positive result. Delhi claims that as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two States, Delhi stands to get an additional 80 MGD of water over and above the quantum that it receives. Haryana on the other hand has been contesting this claim and maintains that 80 MGD is part of
the quantum that Delhi receives.
“Delhi is insisting that it will neither pay the remaining amount for construction of it, nor will it allow water to pass through the canal if Haryana does not agree to supply additional 80 MGD of water as promised. As a result, Haryana stopped water supply to Delhi,” said an official of DJB.
He added because of non-availability of water, the 20 MGD water treatment plant in Dwarka is lying idle.