New Delhi, April 15
The Supreme Court today declined to entertain a petition on the issue of Ravi waters "dispute" between Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. The Jammu and Kashmir Janata Morch for Democracy (JKJMD), in a public interest litigation (PIL), accused Punjab of not honouring the Ravi waters accord between the two states.

A Bench of Mr Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice P. P. Naolekar declined to entertain the petition saying that no petition under Article 32 of the Constitution by a private party on such issues could be entertained.

Declaring the morcha's public interest litigation as "dismissed as withdrawn", the court said none of the two prayers sought in the petition by a private party could be allowed.

The morcha has claimed that Jammu and Kashmir is entitled to 1,150 cusec of water from the Ravi system as per the 1955 accord and the revised agreement of 1979 between the two states. In the first prayer it had sought a direction to the Union Government for passing a suitable law in this regard and in the second a direction was sought for Punjab for the release of 1,150 cusec of water to Jammu and Kashmir.

The petitioner further had sought a direction to Punjab to provide electricity to Jammu and Kashmir from the Ravi projects on subsidised rates, building of a barrage at Shahpur Kandi in Gurdaspur district in Punjab.

Petitioner's counsel S. S. Lahar alleged that Punjab was only releasing 450 cusec of water to Jammu and Kashmir from the Ravi system.

He said though the Jammu and Kashmir Government, under the two agreements, had built 81-km long canal up to Shahpur, Lakhanpur and Basantpur barrages at a cost of Rs 717 core, the Punjab Government had not "fulfilled" its legal obligation.