Rajasthan, Punjab to stop rivers flowing into Pakistan

Rajasthan, Punjab to stop rivers flowing into Pakistan

Both Punjab and Rajasthan governments are making efforts to ensure the water of the eastern rivers Ravi, Sutlej and Beas that flow into Pakistan is plugged and the same water is utilised to irrigate the fields of Rajasthan, Punjab and Kashmir.

FPJ BureauUpdated: Sunday, July 14, 2019, 12:22 PM IST
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Jaipur: Both Punjab and Rajasthan governments are making efforts to ensure the water of the eastern rivers Ravi, Sutlej and Beas that flow into Pakistan is plugged and the same water is utilised to irrigate the fields of Rajasthan, Punjab and Kashmir. According to an estimate of the Central Water Commission, about 6,000 cusecs flows into Pakistan from the Indo-Pakistan borders. It is 5% of the eastern river water. CM Ashok Gehlot said the Rajasthan Govt in association with the Punjab Govt has worked out a plan to utilise this water in Rajasthan and this could be done only by improving the structures in the state and Sirhind feeders in Punjab.

Gehlot said the canal and other systems of the Indira Gandhi canal will be improved to enable the feeders to work efficiently. Currently, due to the poor feeder system only 12,000 cusecs of Indira Gandhi canal water that originates in Punjab flows into Rajasthan and a large part flows into Pakistan, as Rajasthan does not have adequate facilities to utlise it. Rs1,600 crore is required; of this, 60% has been contributed by the Centre and rest by Rajasthan and Punjab. Under this, the Sirhind feeder, which is spread over 200 kms will be restructured to enable a better flow.

Modi government had announced the flow of water to Pakistan from eastern rivers allotted to India under the Indus Water Treaty in 1960. The Centre had directed states the water would be diverted from eastern rivers to Punjab and Rajasthan, both border states. The construction work on a dam on the Ravi—the Shahpur-Kandi pro­­je­ct —has begun in Punjab.A decision was taken in 2009 after the Indian security agencies informed flood in the border damaged fencing on the international border.

-Prakash Bhandari

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