Give R'than its share of Yamuna, says CM

Rajashan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has asked the Centre to intervene and get Rajasthan its share of Yamuna’s water from Haryana.

In a letter to the Union Water Resources Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Raje said that Haryana was usurping Rajasthan's share of water at both Tajewala and Okhla headworks on Yamuna. 

Even after 20 years of the water agreement, Rajasthan was being deprived of its legitimate share of Yamuna water, she said.It was evident from the data of the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) that the share of Rajasthan of Yamuna’s water was nine per cent, while  only one per cent water was being made available, she said. But Haryana has been using 69 per cent water while its actual allocation was 48 per cent, she said in the letter.

She said that in the meeting of the UYRB held on December 21, 2001 Rajasthan was allocated 1,917 cusec of water at Tajewala and 1,281 cusec at Okhla headworks. The Upper Yamuna Review Committee set up an empowered committee to take a fresh look into this decision. 

In its report submitted to the Union Water Resources Ministry in 2007, the empowered committee concluded that Rajasthan’s share was rightful. This water was mainly to cater to Churu and Jhunjhunu districts.

Raje said that no outcome could be arrived at for a system to bring water from Tajewala to Rajasthan border even after several rounds of meetings of chief ministers, irrigation ministers and principal secretaries of Rajasthan and Haryana. 

She said Haryana did not accept the idea of remodeling of Western Jamuna Canal. Instead, Haryana was of the view that Rajasthan could carry its share through a new parallel canal by constructing a barrage at Mawi near Panipat.

Raje told the Union Minister that despite repeated requests by the state, the findings of the empowered committee report had not been discussed. This way, it was evident that release of water from Tajewala was being willfully delayed by Haryana, which was a violation of the rights of her state, she said. 

Only 50 per cent water released from Okhla was reaching Rajasthan border, she said.She asked the Union Minister to issue directions to Haryana for release of allotted share of Yamuna water and joint gauging by both states near the entry point on Rajasthan-Haryana border.