Raje demands due share of waters from Punjab

Ferozepur, May 4 (UNI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today expressed the hope that the Punjab government would ensure her states "due water share" from the Sutlej and Beas rivers.

Accompanied by three of her senior Cabinet colleague, she inspected the canals carrying water to her state from Punjab and later during her meeting with Irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon here urged him to ensure that the canals are repaired to prevent seepage.

She was accompanied by her Irrigation and PWD Ministers besides the Chief Parliamentary Secretary Bhawani Singh Rajawant and a battery of Irrigation department officials of her state.

The Chief Minister in the company of Mr Sekhon went along the Rajasthan feeder amd Sirhind and Gang canals that carry water to her state. She also visited the Harike and Hussainiwala headworks, from where the Rajasthan feeder and Gang canals orginate.

Her visit has been prompted by complaints from the water-starved areas of Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Churu, Jaiselmer and Sriganganagar districts of Rajasthan. The areas are not getting enough canal water from the allocated share.

Theft, seepage and diversion of water are said to be the reasons behind the shortage, according to Rajasthan irrigation officials who accompanied her. During her tour, she told the Punjab irrigation minister that the three canals had outlived their utility and these must be repaired.

Later addressing the media, Ms Raje said that a number of cavities in the canals were the root cause of the water shortage in Ganganagar and other districts. She advocated immediate repair of the canals and said she would ensure that her government regularly sends the required funds to Punjab for this purpose.

She said she was in constant touch with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and all necessary efforts would be made to give a fresh lease of life to the Gang canal. While expressing her concern over contaminated water supply in the Rajasthan canals, she urged the Punjab Irrigation Minister to take immediate steps to check this.

UNI