Ahead of the all-party meeting slated for January 23 to evolve a comprehensive strategy to tackle the critical water situation in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday cautioned the State government against any move to discontinue the free power facility and impose electricity bills on the farmers under the pretext of falling water levels.
The Akali Dal’s core committee at its meeting under the chairmanship of president Sukhbir Badal said Chief Minister Amarinder Singh should not do anything which violates the nationally and internationally accepted riparian principle and dilutes Punjab’s claim as the exclusive beneficiary of the entire water of the river flowing through the State.
“Punjab cannot accept anything that violates this principle according to which no State through which the rivers do not flow has any right on their water,” said a resolution passed at the meeting.
The party said in a statement the Akali Dal would participate in the meeting convened by the Chief Minister.
The SAD also urged the Chief Minister to convene a special session of the Assembly to declare that Punjab will accept no decision that violates the riparian principle.
The Aam Aadmi Party has demanded an extension in date of demand notices issued to the beneficiary farmers for tubewell connections. Leader of the Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said keeping in view the requirements of the farmers, the government should extend the date for submitting demand notices so that the small-time, poor and needy farmers could get the connections.
