DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has urged the Centre to constitute a technical panel of experts to work out ways to restrict the flow of water from Punjab into Pakistan.

He also suggested, while addressing press conference here on Monday that Centre should take the lead in ensuring optimum harnessing of the Ravi-Beas waters.

Responding to media queries, the Chief Minister said he had not yet received the letter purported to have been written by his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on the issue but made it clear that his government would take every possible step to secure more water for the state.

Pointing out that melting of ice leads to rise in the water levels in the three rivers of Ravi, Beas and Satluj, causing it to flow into Pakistan “He had written to Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari suggesting storage of the excess water in dams in Himachal Pradesh to check its flow into Pakistan” Capt Amarinder said. The Chief Minister had further suggested that all the stored water be controlled in Himachal Pradesh and stressing the need for the central government to take the initiative in the matter. Notably, under the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, India has been allowed unrestricted usage of available water in rivers like Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. Significant quantum of water of Ravi was flowing across the International Border through tributaries like Ujh, Jallialia, Tarna among others. The quantity of water of River Ravi flowing across the international border was assessed to be 0.58 Million Acre Feet (MAF).

(editor@dailyworld.in)