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Punjab, Haryana pass resolutions against Himachal Pradesh’s water cess
The Punjab and Haryana assemblies on Wednesday unanimously passed separate resolutions against a move by the Himachal Pradesh government to impose water cess on hydropower projects in the hill state.
The Punjab and Haryana assemblies on Wednesday unanimously passed separate resolutions against a move by the Himachal Pradesh government to impose water cess on hydropower projects in the hill state.
The two resolutions said the move was illegal and should be withdrawn. It also urged the Centre to prevail upon the Himachal Pradesh government to withdraw the legislation as it was violative of the Inter State Water Disputes Act, 1956.
On March 14, the Congress-led Himachal government had promulgated an ordinance to impose water cess on hydropower projects for non-consumptive use of water for power generation. The ordinance was last week replaced by a replica bill, which was passed by the assembly.
In Punjab, the resolution was introduced on the last day of the budget session by water resources minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who called the neighbouring state’s move “senseless”.
Hayer also questioned the absence of state Congress MLAs from the House. “They ran away because this resolution was coming up in the state assembly against the decision of their government in Himachal,” he said.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann said the Himachal Pradesh government’s move was “illegitimate and irrational”. “We will not pay even a single penny for the water flowing through our land,” he asserted.
In Haryana, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar moved the resolution in the assembly.
“The levy is not only an infringement of the exclusive rights of the state over its natural resources, but will also result in additional financial burden for generation of power resulting in the higher cost of generation of electricity,” Khattar said.
State Congress MLAs supported the resolution.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri, at an event in Shimla, said the state is legally competent to levy this cess.
