Punjab can't accept deviation from riparian principle: SAD

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday said Punjab can't accept anything which will dilute its claim as the exclusive owner of the river water flowing through the state.

This comes on the eve of an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to evolve a comprehensive strategy to tackle the critical situation in the state in view of the fast-depleting water resources.

"Punjab cannot accept anything that violates the riparian principle, according to which no state, through which the rivers do not flow, has any right on the waters of those rivers," a resolution passed by the SAD during a core committee meeting here said.

The Punjab government has maintained that the water situation in the state is critical, with the groundwater depleting to alarmingly low levels and threatening to transform the state into a desert.

The SAD said it will send a three-member delegation to Thursday's all-party meeting. The delegation will comprise of Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal.

The opposition party also urged Singh to convene a special session of the legislative assembly to categorically state that Punjab will accept no decision on river water issues that violates the nationally and internationally accepted riparian principle.

Notably, the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal has been a contentious issue between Punjab and neighbouring Haryana.

Punjab has been demanding a reassessment of the volume of water in Ravi and Beas rivers while Haryana has been seeking completion of the SYL canal to get its share of 3.5 million acre feet of the river waters.

In September 2019, the Supreme Court had given four months to Punjab, Haryana and the Centre to find an amicable solution to the issue.

The SAD also urged the chief minister to demand royalty for the state's river water flowing to Rajasthan.