Punjab: Protest against demand for review of 1981 agreement

Punjab: The Sriganganagar unit of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has opposed the Punjab government’s demand to amend the 1981 BBMB agreement on sharing of river waters among the partner states. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had recently said that the water allocated to the partner states under the agreement is much more than the actual water available in the rivers. Therefore, a new agreement should be made regarding water sharing. A delegation of SKM led by Kisan Sangharsh Samiti spokesperson Subhash Sahgal on Monday met Sriganganagar Additional District Collector Reena Chimpa. Sahgal said that Punjab has refused to accept the decisions of the BBMB, and has also demanded amendments in the 1981 agreement. This move is not in the interest of Rajasthan, especially Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner districts. He appealed to the farmers to be ready for agitation against any move to cut Rajasthan’s water share. Kisan Sena convenor Maninder Singh Mann said that Punjab’s control over the water of Gang Canal in Ferozepur has created a crisis for the farmers. If sowing is not done on time, the farmers will suffer financial loss. Kisan Sabha district general secretary Gurcharan Singh said that the water going to Pakistan from Ferozepur headworks should be stopped immediately.