Uttarakhand-UP face-off over irrigation projects continues after SC order

Uttar Pradesh has refused to give no objection certificate to some irrigation projects in Uttarakhand

Despite the intervention of the supreme court, Uttar Pradesh has refused to settle its 14-year irrigation dispute with Uttarakhand.

After the apex court order, the Union water resources ministry had asked the Uttar Pradesh government to give 41 canals to Uttarakhand to resolve the bitter dispute between the two states in the first phase. Similarly, Uttarakhand was also asked to hand over the control of eight canals to Uttar Pradesh.

Since the creation of Uttarakhand in 2000, Uttar Pradesh had refused to give the control of scores of irrigation projects that are located in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts in Uttarakhand saying the issue can only be resolved by the Ganga Management Board. The Ganga Management Board has not yet been set up so far.

Besides, Uttar Pradesh has also refused to give no objection certificate (NOC) to some important irrigation projects in the hill state.

The Rs 193-crore Iqbalpur project, planned a decade ago by the state irrigation department for irrigation in Haridwar district, has failed to take off following the refusal of the Uttar Pradesh government to allow water from the main Ganga canal.

The project was sent for technical appraisal to Central Water Commission (CWC) which, in turn, had sought an NOC from Uttar Pradesh which did not issue the same following which the project is now hanging fire. "An investment of Rs 193 crore is proposed in the scheme." said the government official. The official said the state government was finding it tough to make new irrigation schemes, since the control of these water-bodies and canals rest with Uttar Pradesh.