handigarh June 10:
Being in the habit of Centre bashing, the SAD BJP (Shrimani Akali Dal Bharatiya Janata Party) government is on back foot after the central government has blamed Punjab for delaying the project to tame Ghaggar rivers' fury which is leading to extensive damage every year.
A senior official of the central government put the ball in Punjab's court, on Friday in a meeting in New Delhi, after Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra demanded Centre's help in dealing with havoc caused by Ghaggar's fury. The minister was categorically told that the project, which is multi-state, is being held up despite grant of Rs 1100 crore, only because Punjab has failed to do the formalities.
Dr J S Samra, director of the National Rainfed Authority of India, which has approved the project and is entrusted with the task of implementing it, told reporters, that both Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, which are partner states have signed papers and given their approval for the project. However, Punjab is seen as having problems with some of the terms and conditions laid down, primarily, that the project will not be dragged to the court for any inter state water sharing disputes.
As per the project, holes are to be dug in strategically identified locations in Punjab, Haryana which will help in recharging the ground water. Most of the water that floods the plains from Ghaggar goes waste as it runs off without recharging the ground levels. There are elaborate arrangements under the project to purify the flood water which is used to recharge the ground water to prevent contamination of natural resources. However, Punjab's failure to do the needful and on time has put the project in cold storage even as Rakhra is pleading for Centre's help for the same.
Being in the habit of Centre bashing, the SAD BJP (Shrimani Akali Dal Bharatiya Janata Party) government is on back foot after the central government has blamed Punjab for delaying the project to tame Ghaggar rivers' fury which is leading to extensive damage every year.
A senior official of the central government put the ball in Punjab's court, on Friday in a meeting in New Delhi, after Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra demanded Centre's help in dealing with havoc caused by Ghaggar's fury. The minister was categorically told that the project, which is multi-state, is being held up despite grant of Rs 1100 crore, only because Punjab has failed to do the formalities.
Dr J S Samra, director of the National Rainfed Authority of India, which has approved the project and is entrusted with the task of implementing it, told reporters, that both Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, which are partner states have signed papers and given their approval for the project. However, Punjab is seen as having problems with some of the terms and conditions laid down, primarily, that the project will not be dragged to the court for any inter state water sharing disputes.
As per the project, holes are to be dug in strategically identified locations in Punjab, Haryana which will help in recharging the ground water. Most of the water that floods the plains from Ghaggar goes waste as it runs off without recharging the ground levels. There are elaborate arrangements under the project to purify the flood water which is used to recharge the ground water to prevent contamination of natural resources. However, Punjab's failure to do the needful and on time has put the project in cold storage even as Rakhra is pleading for Centre's help for the same.
