Water crisis: Carrying ‘matkas’, women take to Kaithal streets

Scores of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday took to the streets in Karnal and Kaithal districts to protest over the ongoing water crisis in Haryana. Party’s state president Rampal Majra led the protest in Kaithal, while party’s senior leader Sunaina Chautala in Karnal. They handed over memorandums to the officials of both districts for the Prime Minister, demanding Haryana’s rightful share of water from Punjab. They demanded that the Union Government impose President’s rule in Punjab and enforce BBMB’s decisions to ensure Haryana received its fair share of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Protest in Kaithal witnessed a large number of gathering, particularly of women carrying earthen pots. They expressed their anger by breaking earthen pots bearing Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s name and held a symbolic funeral procession of the Punjab CM.

Rampal Majra condemned the Punjab Government, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of damaging the federal structure of the country. “Punjab has no right to stop Haryana’s water. The AAP government, which is rapidly losing ground in Punjab, is now playing with people’s sentiments to divert attention from its failures. They have disregarded the Centre’s decisions, BBMB orders, water-sharing agreements and even Supreme Court rulings,” Majra said. Majra highlighted the long history of the water-sharing agreement and said the first agreement was signed on January 29, 1955. Following this, another pact was reached based on the recommendations of the Shriram Committee. In 1971, a committee chaired by then Planning Minister Durga Prasad Dhar was formed, and its recommendations led to another agreement. Later, in 1976, the Union Government officially allocated water shares. Further agreements followed the Wadhwa Committee’s recommendations, and on December 31, 1981, the Centre once again facilitated an agreement. Subsequently, on January 30, 1987, Justice BB Eradi delivered a legal judgment on the matter.

Majra also pointed out that the Supreme Court of India issued rulings in 2002, 2004, and 2016, all of which supported Haryana’s rightful claim to water. However, Punjab has consistently failed to implement any of these agreements or court orders. He said, last month, the technical committee of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) ruled that water must be released to Haryana by the state government. Even then, Punjab did not comply. The BBMB passed another decision on April 30, which was also ignored by Punjab. Punjab officials did not even attend the BBMB meeting.

In Karnal, while addressing workers, Sunaina Chautala emphasised the gravity of the issue and said t the protest was strategically divided into three zones across the state to press the demand for the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court order directing Punjab to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Haryana.

“Despite being in power, both at the Centre and in the state, the BJP government has failed to secure Haryana’s water rights. If they truly wished, they could ensure this without delay. Punjab has been stalling for years and strict action is needed now,” she added.

Haryana Tribune