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Amarinder Singh blames Haryana for floods in Punjab
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh today said the "illegal" construction of Hansi-Butana link canal by Haryana was the primary cause for the deluge in his state.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said the "illegal" construction of Hansi-Butana link canal by Haryana was the primary cause for the deluge in his state.
"The Hansi Butana canal was illegally constructed (in 2006 by Haryana) despite the matter pending before the Supreme Court.
"Also the Eradi Commission matter, to resolve water dispute between Punjab and Haryana, and the Presidential Reference (on Punjab terminating the river water agreements in 2004) are pending before the apex court," Singh told a press conference here.
He alleged the Haryana Government had gone ahead with the canal's construction despite Punjab's protest at that time and without even knowing the quantum of water which would be available for the canal.
"When I was the chief minister, my government took up the matter with Haryana... They still went ahead with it, even ignoring Central Water Commission's concerns. They were asked to have 44 siphons for flood water to get through, but they created only one. The canal is now acting like a dam, creating a miserable situation for Punjab," he said.
"Over 20 people have died in Punjab, with six deaths in my home district Patiala alone. in Patiala itself, 2.60 lakh acres of land has been submerged," he said.
The former chief minister also flayed the SAD-BJP government in Punjab for not cleaning the drains, which had aggravated the flood situation in the state.
