Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 12: The Jammu & Kashmir State has suffered an cumulative loss of over Rs 4000 crore while over 30,000 hectares of otherwise fertile land in Jammu region has turned barren due to the failure of Punjab Government to respect the 1979 bilateral agreement reached between the two riparian States over sharing of Ravi water.
According to sources, the unilateral decision of Punjab Government by passing J&K Government on sharing of Ravi water as well as power generated on the river has put the State of J&K to a heavy loss which has accumulated to over Rs 4000 crores so far.
Sources said despite three meetings held by the Chief Secretaries of the two States last year to resolve the impasse over the issue and on construction of much talked about Shahpur Kandi Barrage, in Kathua district, no headway has been made so far.
Sources said that there is a hue and cry in twin districts of Kathua and Samba where over 30,000 hectares of fertile land has turned barren after the Punjab Government failed to construct the 2.3 kms of canal from Satwain to Basantpur to supply 1150 cusecs of water to Ravi canal through gravity.
The farmers were waiting over the years but their dream never came true as neither the Punjab Government respected the 1979 agreement signed with J&K nor the successive State Governments in J&K showed any sincerity in getting the 1150 cusecs of water from Ravi river.
According to sources, the hopes of farming community in the two districts have dashed to ground due to the callousness of the two Governments. The greatest resentment among the farming community on this side of Ravi is that Punjab exploited the water of the river to its best advantage over the years and succeeded in green revolution while thousands of canals of fertile land on this side of river belonging to J&K turned totally barren. This not only resulted into the loss of production in the fields of agriculture, horticulture and floriculture but also gave a great setback to the economy of the State, sources added.
Sources said instead of 1650 cusecs of water which J&K is entitled to get from Ravi river as per 1979 agreement out of which 1150 cusecs will be provided to the State after construction of Shahpur Kandi through gravity, the State is getting hardly up to 770 cusecs of water from Ravi through Kashmir canal, Lakhanpur and two other small canals of Kerriyan Gandyal at present. This has also been confirmed by Chief Engineer Ravi Tawi Irrigation Department, H C Jeerath.
With increasing resentment among the farmers in this belt who took up the issue with Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh also seeking his intervention, the latter brought the matter into the notice of former Chief Minister of the State, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhvinder Singh Badal. Dr Singh urged them to settle the issue so that the farmers’ problems are solved.
Sources said following the Union Minister’s intervention a process was started and three meetings were held by the Chief Secretaries of two States, on February 20, October 1 and in the month of November last year. However, no headway was made in these meetings too and the fate of farmers of the area is still hanging in balance which has added to their worries further, sources added.
Even the local MLA of Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia had also made a public demand that the issue be taken up in the State Cabinet meeting on May 29 and the Government should take immediate decision on the Shahpur Kandi Barrage.
The experts in agriculture and horticulture departments are of the opinion that with the construction of the project there will be a green revolution in the agriculture belt of Kathua and Samba districts which are also considered the rice bowls of the Jammu region. Releasing of 1150 cusecs of water in Ravi canal will revolutionize agriculture sector in two districts of Kathua and Samba and farmers will get a regular water supply and there will be no threat of drought , said Vimal Samyal, Joint Director Agriculture.
Construction of Shahpur Kandi Barrage will bring cheers on the faces of farmers on this side also as releasing of water in Ravi Canal with full gravity will help in developing agriculture, horticulture and floriculture as well as medicinal plants in the area, besides, it will also help in raising the per capita income of people, said Tarvinder Singh, district Horticulture Officer.
As much headway could not be made by the two Governments, despite the fact that Punjab Government in its letter to J&K Government on August 14, last year had agreed to construct the Barrage on Shahpur Kandi at its own cost and provide water for irrigation to Ravi canal from barrage and to construct 2.3 kms of link canal from Satwain to Basantpur to provide balance share of water to J&K as per 1979 agreement, Dr Jitendra Singh again took up the issue with Governor’s administration.
After studying the case in detail the Governor’s administration had framed a complete note for the settlement of the issue, sources said.
Sources said earlier while stopping the construction work on Shahpur Kandi Barrage by J&K Government in 2013 it accused the Punjab Government of backtracking its previous agreements.
The J&K Government alleged that Punjab has failed to provide State’s full share of water from river Ravi to the extent of 0.69 MAF as per 1979 agreement and interstate agreement of 1955. Besides it failed to supply Power from Thein Dam/ Ranjit Sagar Dam at reasonable rates.
However, the Governor’s administration which favoured the settlement of the issue in its note prepared had favoured a negotiable settlement and new agreement between the two Governments which would be able to address all the concerns of J&K State, sources said. In its note framed by the State Government it was also made clear that the issue of assumption of losses and compensation thereof may be reviewed as this is likely to further complicate the issue and result in further delay in the provision of water for irrigation to the farmers of the State, sources added.
Sources said an opinion was given by the State Government that it should insist on joint technical management and control of the Shahpur Kandi Barrage during and after the construction to ensure that the technical design of Barrage, water regulation and control mechanism should be such that legitimate interests of the farmers of J&K are protected and taken care of in all situations of discharge including low discharge in river Ravi.
It was also opined that for this purpose feasibility of a jointly manned and controlled management and operation of Shahpur Kandi Barrage may also be examined by the Chief Secretaries of the two States, sources added.
The note prepared during the Governor administration also made it clear that after the Chief Secretaries of two Governments reach an agreement on the future course of action, the State Irrigation and Flood Control Department will approach the Cabinet for approval of new negotiated agreement and for revocation of earlier Cabinet approval of 2013 for construction of extension of River Ravi, sources added.
The note is lying with State Government and the issue may likely figure in next Cabinet as all eyes are looking towards it, sources said.
Admitting that the farmers are suffering a lot due to delay in Shahpur Kandi Barrage, Minister of PHE , Irrigation and Flood Control Ch. Sham Lal told Excelsior that the Coalition Government wants to resolve the issue and expressed the hope that the Chief Secretaries of the two states will meet soon to find out an amicable solution by the two riparian States so that the interests of the people of the J&K State and farmers are safeguarded.
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