GoM set up on Delhi-haryana water dispute

New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI) With Delhi and Haryana failingto amicably settle their water sharing dispute, the Centre hasset up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to tackle the issue.

The GoM will look into the water sharing disputearising out of the newly constructed Carrier Lined Channel(CLC) between Munak in Haryana and Haiderpur in Delhi,government sources said.

The construction work has been completed four yearsbehind schedule, but the two states are nowhere near aconsensus on the issue of sharing water.

CLC is expected to help run the 20 million gallonsdaily (MGD) capacity water treatment plants at Okhla and atBawana, and a 50 MGD water treatment plant at Dwarka.

The GoM will look into the argument being given by theDelhi government demanding its share that it has paid aroundRs 350 crore for the construction of nearly 80 per cent of thechannel in its territory.

Haryana has opposed any water sharing, saying it hasbeen generously providing water to its neighbour even thoughits own demand has gone up in the recent years.

The four-member GoM will be headed by Home Minister PChidambaram. The other members of the GoM are HRD ministerKapil Sibal, Law minister M Veerappa Moily and WaterResources minister Salman Khursheed.

The two chief ministers - Sheila Dikshit and BhupinderSingh Hooda - will attend the meetings as special invitees,government sources said.