Centre will mediate in Hansi Butana Canal case: Khadse

Punjab: Union Minister of Defense Nikhil Khadse said on Tuesday that the Center will act as a mediator between Punjab and Haryana to resolve the Hansi Butana Canal dispute and other water distribution issues that are causing flooding in villages along the Ghaggar River. Khadse, accompanied by former Patiala MP and BJP leader Preneet Kaur and other party leaders, visited flood-affected villages, including Dudhan Gujran, Budhmor, Mahmoodpur, Jalan Kheri, Sassi Gujran, and Dharamheri. These areas have been most affected by floods caused by the Tangri, Markanda, and Ghaggar rivers. The Minister also met with farmers who have been protesting in Dharamheri village since September 9th demanding a resolution to the canal issue. He assured them that the Center would soon convene a meeting with representatives from both states. Following this assurance, the farmers suspended their eight-day-long protest. Khadse said she would raise the matter with Union Water Power Minister CR Patil and urge him to mediate between Punjab and Haryana.

She also recommended 100 percent compensation for crop losses. “In some places, we could still see paddy plants standing in the fields,” she said, “but farmers told us the grain was completely damaged.” Regarding procurement, Khadse saw no problem with the standard 17% moisture requirement. She added, “It’s a technical issue, but since full compensation is being given for crop losses, I don’t think there should be any demand for relaxing the moisture standards.” During her talks with farmers, Khadse addressed their key demands: desilting of rivers, construction of permanent embankments and inlets, and immediate repair of the 25-kilometer-long Patiala-Pehowa road connecting the district to Kurukshetra. The minister credited Preneet Kaur for raising the issue with the Prime Minister’s Office and initiating talks with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. Speaking to the media, Preneet Kaur said, “Patiala has been severely affected by flooding in the Tangri, Markanda, and Ghaggar rivers. This is an interstate issue involving Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. A permanent solution requires coordinated action by the Water Commission.”