NEW DELHI – Indian Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urgedthe Centre to take the lead in ensuring optimum harnessing of the Ravi-Beaswaters and suggested constitution of a panel of experts to work out ways torestrict the flow of water from the state into Pakistan, Indian Expresshas reported.
Responding to media queries here today, the chief minister said he had notyet received the letter purported to have been written by his Haryanacounterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on the issue, but made it clear that hisgovernment would take every possible step to secure more water for thestate.
Pointing out that melting of ice leads to a rise in the water levels of theRavi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, causing them to flow into Pakistan, Singhsaid he had written to Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkarilink> suggesting storage of theexcess water in dams in Himachal Pradesh to check its flow into Pakistan.
He stressed the need for the central government to take the initiative inthe matter. Under the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, India has been allowedunrestricted usage of available water in rivers viz. Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
A significant quantum of water of Ravi was flowing across the InternationalBorder through tributaries such as Ujh, Jallialia, Tarna joining the Ravidownstream of the rim station at Madhopur, he said.