Rajasthan will defend its rights to Rabi Beas water share

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Jaipur, July 28 (UNI) The Rajasthan Government will defend the state's rights to its share in the Rabi-Beas waters and contest the fresh petition filed by the Punjab Government before the Supreme Court challenging sections 78 and 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act.

Principal Secretary(Irrigation) S N Thanvi told UNI here that Rajasthan is a respondant party in the case filed by Punjab and it was prepared to fight the case effectively.

The state government has specially deputed a Delhi-based officer for procuring the copy of the petition filed by the neighbouring state.

He said that the case would be thoroughly studied by a team of senior lawyers who had been entrusted the task of fighting the case to safeguard the state's interests.

Mr Thanvi said Punjab's petition was against Rajasthan's interest and therefore the state government was making all preparations to fight the same and safeguard the state's rights to Rabi-Beas waters.

Sections 78 and 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act deals with the distribution of Rabi Beas waters among neighbouring states including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi and setting up of the Bhakhra Beas Management Board.

As per the inter state river water agreement and Eradi Commission Award, Rajasthan is entitled to get 8.6MAF waters from Rabi and Beas and the state government has already been fighting its case saying that the desert state is getting 0.6MAF water less than its due allotted share of 8.6MAF.

During the previous Congress led government's regime, the Punjab state legislative assembly had passed unanimously Termination of Interstate Agreements Act, terminating all inter state river water agreements on grounds that Punjab did not have surplus water for sharing with the neighbouring states.

This act had already been challenged before the apex court by the states concerned. The regular hearing in this case is due to be held from September 16.

In its fresh move, the BJP-SAD led Punjab Government had filed a fresh petition before the apex court under article 131 of the Constitution urging the court to refrain the neighbouring states to force Punjab to abide by the sections 78 and 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act.

UNI

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