New Delhi, July 16
Countering growing criticism that he was not doing enough to stop Haryana from building a concrete wall along the contentious Hansi Butana canal, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his ‘personal intervention’ in the matter. Badal requested the Prime Minister to direct Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to stop the ongoing construction of concrete toe-wall along the left bank of the Hansi Butana canal.

Badal was accompanied by his Principal Secretary DS Guru when he met the Prime Minister at his residence to update him about the recent developments on the Hansi-Butana issue.

Badal alleged that the Haryana Government was deliberately constructing the wall to block the natural flow of water during floods, blatantly ignoring the warning of technical experts and engineers that such a reckless step could cause major devastation leading to huge loss of lives, cattle, houses and crops in Punjab due to floods like last year. He urged the Prime Minister to direct the Haryana Government to desist from obstructing the natural flow of water of the canal, especially as advised by technical experts.