Chandigarh, March 18 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said the state would stake a claim to Rs 1.44 lakh crore from Rajasthan for decades of unpaid water usage, making it clear that Rajasthan must either release Punjab’s rightful dues or stop drawing water, while also calling for a review of the historic 1920 agreement governing this arrangement.

Interacting with the media, CM Mann said, “The Rajasthan government owes Rs 1.44 lakh crore to Punjab for the water drawn through the Ferozepur feeder since 1960, for which not even a single penny has been paid. Rajasthan must either release Punjab’s rightful dues or stop taking water.”

He said as per an agreement signed in 1920 between the state of Bikaner, the erstwhile Punjab, and the British, Rajasthan had agreed to pay for water on a per-acre basis. “Payments were made till 1960, but after the Indus Water Treaty, Rajasthan stopped paying despite continuously drawing 18,000 cusecs of water,” explained CM Mann.

Highlighting the contradiction in Rajasthan’s stand, CM Mann said, “Even today Rajasthan continues to draw water under the 1920 agreement, but when it comes to paying dues, it takes shelter under the 1960 arrangement.”

He further said, “The governments at that time, while entering into the new arrangement in 1960, did not mention payment, but they also never cancelled the 1920 agreement.”

Raising questions over past inaction, CM Mann said, “The agreement clearly mandated a review every 25 years, but previous governments never raised this issue or pursued Punjab’s rightful claim.” Reiterating the historical context, he said, “Under a 1920 agreement signed during the British era with Bikaner, 18,000 cusecs of Punjab’s water was supplied continuously till 1960.

However, after the Indus Waters Treaty, there was no mention of this arrangement. If we calculate dues from 1960 to 2026, Rajasthan owes Punjab Rs 1.44 lakh crore.”

The Chief Minister further noted, “We have raised this issue with both the Union government and the Rajasthan government. The Punjab government has also written a letter to the Rajasthan government seeking a meeting to discuss this issue.”

He said Punjab would pursue the matter firmly, stating, “Our government seeks a review of the 1920 agreement so that Punjab can recover its rightful dues. We will raise this issue strongly at all appropriate forums and ensure that Punjab gets what is rightfully its own.”

--IANS

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