The Times of India                          19.03.2013

Kajauli water project continues to hang fire

CHANDIGARH: The ambitious project to bring 40MGD additional water supply to the city by laying separate water pipeline from Kajauli to city is still hanging fire as the stakeholders - UT, Punjab and Haryana - have not reached at a common consensus yet on the water sharing issue. Despite innumerable meetings between officials to sort the issue, no solution has come out so far. Initially, Punjab government had rejected the proposal to give land to lay the water pipelines and allow water supply to UT, claiming that their district (Mohali) is their first priority and it needs the water too. But after a series of deliberations, it was decided that a single pipeline with additional diameter will be laid and both Punjab and UT will get water through it. However, Haryana government did not agree to Punjab's proposal of laying a pipeline of a larger diameter in contemplation of phase VII and VIII, because earlier they had given consent to lay down the pipeline in phase V and VI. Haryana also mentioned that Chandigarh has entered in an agreement with Punjab to provide water to Mohali under phase V and VI by keeping the Haryana government in dark. They proposed that if Punjab requires additional water for Mohali, it should draw the same from Anandpur Hydel Channel.

Besides UT and Punjab, Haryana also has a share in the Bhakra canal and a consent from all three stakeholders is required for additional supply. Meanwhile, UT has already received a grant of over Rs 170 crore for the project from Centre.