Haryana has right on Bhakra canal waters:Hooda

Kurukshetra, July 16 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said his state had '' legilimate'' rights over waters of the Bhakhra Canal and Punjab should have no objection''.

Taking to the mediapersons at Ladwa 20 kms from here today. Mr Hooda made this assertion when his attention drawn to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's statement yesterday that Punjab had no surplus water to give to Haryana from the Beas and Sutlej rivers.

Capt Singh had stated that Haryana could go ahead with the construction of the BML Hansi-Butana canal, but Punjab would not allow the waters of the Bhakra to flow into this new water channel.

Regarding the Dadupur-Nalvi canal, Mr Hooda said that it would also be completed within next three years.

Replying to a question he disclosed that the name of the new Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President would be decided by the All India Congress Party President, Sonia Gandhi.

The Chief Minister said that Kurukshetra, the historical and religious site would be developed as a centre of spiritual and pilgrimage excellence and it would be brought on the International tourism map. He said that an Akshar Dham would also be constructed at Kurukshetra and a final a decision would be taken in this regard very soon.

While referring to the Kurukshetra-Yamunanagar railway link, he said that the survey for this had already been conducted. He assured that he would take up the matter with the Railway Ministry.

To a question, about the power shortage in the state, the Chief Minister maintained that no sincere efforts had been made during the previous regimes to meet the growing demand of power. He said that a number of projects were in the pipeline in the state including 1000 MW power plant at Hisar, Jhajjar and Panipat, while the 600 MW thermal power plant at Yamunanagar had already commenced operation.

He said that the Relience Industries Limited had also promised to set up a 2000 MW power plant in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to be set-up by the company. A Nuclear Power Plant would also be set up at Fatehabad, he added. UNI HS VN VD VC1920