PUNJAB HAS NO SURPLUS WATER TO SHARE: CAPT

CHANDIGARH : Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday said the state does not have any surplus water to share.

In his address at 29th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah here, Amarinder urged him to deal this inter-state water issue separately for its early resolution as the matter was already sub-judice.

He also pointed out that there was growing water crisis in all states with decline in flow of rivers and depletion of ground water.

“In Punjab, we are heading into a serious crisis on this account,” he added.

Capt also urged the Union home minister Amit Shah to immediately formulate a national policy to combat the menace of drug abuse in a holistic manner.

Raising the demand for naming the Mohali international airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the CM urged Shah to “take this noble initiative without any further delay”.

Reiterating his longstanding demand, he said the originally agreed 60:40 ratio (between Punjab and Haryana) in positions in union territory of Chandigarh administration.

Amarinder also emphasised the need to review the land allotment rates of the government in UT which were quite exorbitant as Punjab needs land for various upcoming institutions in Chandigarh being its capital.

Demanding greater financial support from Centre (up to 75%) in execution of various projects in the region for mutual benefits, the chief minister said the Punjab government was now facing grave financial difficulties and at the same time it was committed to such projects.