The North News
New Delhi/Chandigarh, March 20
Aam Aadmi Party MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has called for Punjab’s rightful share of water resources, highlighting the state’s long-standing grievances in Parliament. Speaking during the budget session, the Lok Sabha member from Sangrur said Punjab, despite being a riparian state, had been denied its due share of Yamuna waters since the state’s reorganisation.
Hayer raised concerns over water pollution, particularly in the Malwa region, where contamination has contributed to a high incidence of cancer. While Punjab has successfully implemented the Jal Jeevan Mission, he stressed that the Malwa region urgently requires drinking water from the Bhakra Canal.
Addressing the recurring floods in the Ghaggar River, Hayer called for permanent flood management solutions. He urged the Centre to widen and strengthen a 17-km stretch of the river from Makrour Sahib to Karail and to collaborate with Haryana for a long-term strategy. He also recommended de-silting dams in the Kandi region to boost water retention and provide materials for construction projects.
Hayer further warned of Punjab’s declining groundwater levels, stating that 117 of 153 blocks have fallen into the dark zone. He criticised the Centre for failing to include Punjab in the Atal Bhujal Yojana despite a parliamentary committee’s 2020-21 recommendation.
The MP also called for immediate action under the PM Krishi Irrigation Yojana, under which a Rs 1,163 crore project was approved in 2015 to renovate and expand the Sutlej Canal system. He lamented that Punjab has yet to receive any funds for the project.
#PunjabWaterCrisis #MalwaRegion #GhaggarFloods #WaterPollution #JalJeevanMission #BhakraCanal #GroundwaterDepletion #AtalBhujalYojana #PMKrishiIrrigation #AAP
