Will this canal carry water?

Many believe that the much touted Hansi – Butana link canal will suffer the same fate as the Sutlej – Yamuna Link Canal. It is there but does not even carry the flood waters despite the explicit verdict of the Supreme Court. The riddle therefore is that why do politicians not stop stoking emotive issues. 
 

The cynics should be forgiven to think that the politicians of Punjab and Haryana, irrespective of their affiliations to parties, use the issue of waters for irrigation to play friendly matches. It requires considerable skill as a false move that does not go well with the people or which is indicative of weakness can consign the politician to the pages of history. However, when played dexterously, as it has been played in Punjab and Haryana, new heroes keep emerging.

Thus at a time when everything appeared to have been lost for Punjab after the Supreme Court verdict favoring the completion of Sautlej – Yamuna Link (SYL) canal so that Haryana could utilize its share of water from the rivers Ravi and Beas, the then Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh played a master stroke that had compelled even the Akalis to join hands with Congress. Neither the Prime Minister nor the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had any inkling when the Punjab Assembly met to pass an Act that repealed all previous pacts and agreements that the State might have entered with other States regarding sharing of the river waters to wriggle out of the bind to have the SYL constructed.

There is no denying that the blatant move of the then Congress Chief Minister had left no choice for the high command and the Prime Minister as they were told of the violent consequences that Punjab and the country might have to face if the Supreme Court order was implemented. With eggs on their faces, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh could only seethe.

The whole unsavory episode might have left a constitutional crisis that is still pending with the Supreme Court but Capt. Amarinder Singh emerged as the leader of the Sikh peasantry as was reflected in the polls when the Congress made serious inroads in the bastions of Akali Dal. Hailed as the savior of Punjab even while risking his political career he is even today a tall figure despite vigorous efforts of the State leaders and high command to cut his size.

This lesson has been well learned by the Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. In fact he has improved upon the stalwart from Punjab, at least in the scale of his ambition. In a single stroke he has assured the peasantry of his state of equitable distribution of water and has also raised fears of loss of water for Punjab without coming in direct confrontation with it. No sooner had the Congress government assumed office in Haryana in 2005 that it announced that it would implement its policy of equitable distribution of waters.

Ironically, equitable distribution of water for the earlier government of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) had meant distribution of water between Punjab and Haryana and bringing Haryana’s share of water from the Sutlej – Yamuna link canal where as the present Congress government in Haryana has interpreted it as distribution of available water to all parts of the State. It was a political stroke that diverted the attention of the people from the pending issue of bringing water through the SYL and simultaneously promised to consolidate voter support from the areas that were being promised with water for irrigation. Haryana unveiled its plan for constructing a 109 kms Hansi – Butana Canal in its territory at a cost of Rs. 354 crores, but without asking Punjab or the Ministry of Water Resources in Delhi) with the aim of linking it with the Bhakra Main Line (BML) canal, which extends up to Rajasthan. This was done on the plea that since all the digging was being done in Haryana and that it would be redistributing its share of water from the Bhakra canal therefore there was no reason to inform either Punjab or Haryana or seek permission from any ministry in Delhi.

The scheme, according to the claims of the Hooda government, is likely to benefit 16 district namely Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Jind, Hansi sub division of Hisar district, Bhiwani, Mohindergarh, Rewari, Gurgaon, Mewat, Faridabad, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonepat and Panipat. In addition to the equitable distribution of available surface water it was to ensure the drinking water supply in the high and dry and arid areas in Southern part of the Haryana State; to solve drainage problems around Guhla, Cheeka, Kaithal, Rajound and Assand area and while passing through rice belt, it will act as a Kharif channel during rainy season by utilising floodwater of Ghaggar, Yamuna and Bibipur Lake.

However, there was opposition from some expected quarters and criticism from others. Irrespective of which party was ruling in the States of Punjab and Rajasthan, their governments opposed the project as ant change in the existing system would mean the weakening of the flow of water and consequently non-irrigation of lands near the tail of the canals. When the Central Water Commission gave the nod to Haryana, it threatened to revisit the old wounds. In due course when the Akalis came to power in Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal accused the Commission of duplicity as it was ''totally illegal'' and ''ill- conceived'', and had inter-state implications as Bhakra Main Line (BML) canal was an interstate channel.

The Chief Minister of Punjab squarely blamed the Centre for its discriminatory and apathetic attitude towards Punjab and giving undue favour to Haryana on the issue of ''illegal'' construction of Hansi-Butana Branch Link Channel, thereby grossly jeopardising the interests of farmers of Punjab. He further reiterated that Punjab had no surplus water to share with its neighbouring states. Consequently, the withdrawal of 2086 cusecs of water from Bhakra Main Line canal would also adversely affect the water supply to channels of Punjab and Rajasthan in the specified areas under the Bhakra Nangal Agreement, 1959.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan also submitted that its water share has shrunk from 0.9 cusec feet to 0.7 cusec feet during the peak agricultural season. It would further come down if Haryana is allowed to draw water from the canal after perforating it. The matter was serious and not surprisingly is with the Supreme Court.

The critics of the Hansi – Butana canal within Haryana accuse the Hooda government of hoodwinking the people and wasting public money for no gain. They point out that in the first place the idea of SYL canal was mooted to bring Haryana’s share of water to its parched fields. This has been upheld by the Supreme Court of India and since Punjab has resorted to blackmail the Congress has buckled under the pressure. Since the issue is as emotive for the people of Haryana as it is for Punjab, the State government in connivance with the centre began implementing the project of the new canal to divert the attention of the people from the fact that the centre was finding it inconvenient to act against Punjab for blatantly passing an Act that is patently unconstitutional and un-patriotic.

These critics accuse that the Congress by putting the judgment of the Supreme Court on the backburner had virtually given up the claim of Haryana on additional river waters of Ravi and Beas. However, it remains to be seen if the people of Haryana will not be emotionally charged at some appropriate time in future when it is realized that the new canal has been as ineffective to quench the thirst of the 16 districts that it promises to bring prosperity.

Many experts point out that while the canal will fail in carrying water to the promised areas, it will simultaneously adversely affect the productivity of those areas that are currently being irrigated but which stand to lose when the water will be diverted to new direction. The division and optimism of today will not take long to explode in violent demonstrations in a state that loses no occasion to vent its anger and frustration on the roads. On the other hand if, as a result of an additional perforation of the main line Bhakra canal water is unable to reach the tail ends in Punjab and Rajasthan then the country has strife on hand that will be difficult to handle. As it is Rajasthan has witnessed violent clashes over irrigation and water rights.

Probably river waters are used as an ongoing game by the politicians of Punjab and Haryana where it is accepted that while the game of water goes on the players will go on changing, depending on their ability to run the course.