Why forcing Canal Patwaris to make fictitious entries to show canal water reaching all fields: SAD questions CM Mann
PTC News Desk: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) questioned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to explain that why his government is forcing Canal Patwaris to make fictitious entries in their records to show that canal water was reaching all fields in Punjab to prove the State had surplus water and the same could be transferred to Haryana and Delhi through the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Displaying the relevant records in this context including a directive of the Water Resources department as well as protest letters written by the Canal Patwaris and revenue staff to the government in this regard, SAD chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler said “It is now clear that the Chief Minister is following the dictates of his boss Arvind Kejriwal as well as the central government to pave the way for construction of the SYL canal”.
SAD chief spokesperson Arshdeep Kler said the Waters Resources department’s principal secretary Krishan Kumar was regularly berating Patwaris to give reports that the State had surplus water and that canal water was reaching all fields in the State. “This falsity is being forced on farmers even though canal water reaches only 21 per cent of all fields in Punjab”.
The SAD leader said the hand of the AAP government in the entire episode was revealed when the Canal Patwari and revenue staff complained against the principal secretary to Water Resources ministers Chetan Singh Jaurmajra.
“The minister refused to entertain their complaint and directed them to do as they were being directed. Even written complaints to the chief minister have proved futile forcing the Patwaris and revenue staff to go in for a pen down strike which the government is trying to foil through suspensions and other disciplinary action,” he further added.
Asserting that all this was being done as part of an anti-Punjab conspiracy, Kler said all Delhi based parties including AAP, Congress and BJP wanted to rob Punjab of its River waters. Arvind Kejriwal as well as senior leaders of AAP including Punjab Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak have been continuously batting for transferring Punjab waters to Haryana.
“Now it seems the central government led by the BJP is also on board and that is why a survey report is being prepared to show Punjab has surplus water. This survey report will be handed over to the Supreme Court to allow it to order construction of the SYL canal as the Punjab chief minister has already said on record that the existing water requirements of Punjab should be rechecked,” Kler added.
Asserting that the SAD would not allow AAP to play with the future of the farmers as well as the State’s economy, Kler said “We will oppose this conspiracy tooth and nail and are ready to make any sacrifice to ensure it does not succeed”. He also appealed to Punjabis to see through the conspiracy that the Congress, which had earlier also given half of the State’s River waters to Rajasthan and created the SYL canal, as well as AAP and BJP could not be trusted with their votes.
- PTC NEWS
