Amarinder questions CWC’s shift in stand on Hansi-Butana canal
Sunday, 28/08/2011
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The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday questioned the changing stance of the Central Water Commission (CWC) on the contentious issue of Hansi-Butana canal.
He said, the Commission’s submission before the Supreme Court that the canal and the toe wall are not going to cause any floods in Punjab, is quite contrary to what it had found and observed in 2006.
In a letter to the CEC Chairman AK Bajaj, a copy of which was released to the media here, Amarinder referred to the report prepared by Bajaj in 2006 when he was the Chief Engineer, CWC Indus Basin, Chandigarh, and had contradicted the views of Haryana government. “I am quite surprised over the commission’s latest stand.”
Quoting the report dated January 25, 2007, prepared by Bajaj, former chief minister said, at that time Bajaj had observed, “The apprehension of the flooding is not connected to the capacities of the siphons. This was quite evident during the site visit on December 1, 2006, and the officials of Haryana government accompanying on the visit also agreed. In fact they have agreed at the site as well as in their written submission to amelioration measures by way of providing cross drainage works across the line of the canal”. Amarinder claims, Bajaj had said, “It is felt that even without lifting flood waters from Ghaggar, exiting flow conditions in the area can be retained in case Haryana is able to provide adequate number of cross drainage works across line of canal so that the sheet flow of flood waters as existing before BML-MPLC can be maintained”.
