Bhagwant Mann opposes Centre's direction to BBMB over use of water by Himachal Pradesh

Chandigarh, June 14

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday vehemently opposed the decision of the Government of India, to waive the condition of seeking a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for drawing of water by Himachal Pradesh for water supply and irrigation schemes.

Writing to the Prime Minister, he referred to the directions by the Union Government to the Chairman of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on May 15. Mann said through these directions, the board had been asked to do away with the present mechanism of NOC with the condition that the cumulative water drawn by the Government of Himachal Pradesh was kept below their analogous share in power 7.19 per cent as decided by the Supreme Court.

The CM said the decision was completely unjustified, baseless and a grave injustice with Punjab because as per the water agreements, no water was to be allocated to HP from the Sutlej and Beas rivers. He said though the SC had allowed 7.19 per cent share to the neighbouring state, it was only meant for power and no orders had been issued by the apex court regarding the sharing of water.

The CM further said that the BBMB was constituted under Section 79(1) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, as per which the mandate of the board was only for the administration, maintenance and operation of the dam and reservoirs Nangal Hydel channel and Irrigation headworks at Ropar, Harike and Ferozepur.

He categorically said as per the Act, BBMB was not authorised to give any water out of the rivers to any state other than the partner states and HP was not one of them. Mann said the waters of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas had been allocated to Punjab, Haryana, J&K, Delhi and Rajasthan under separate agreements, and HP could not raise any claim on the waters of these rivers.

Mann recalled that in the previous years, the BBMB had allowed the release of water on 16 different occasions to HP.

He said in the present circumstances, when the level of water in the rivers was declining drastically, this unilateral decision of the Centre needs to be reconsidered and withdrawn.