Following the verdict of the Apex Court that renders Punjab Government’s unilateral decision of withdrawing the water sharing treaty with adjoining States as illegal and hence null and void, J&K State has backtracked from the reconciliation formula brokered by the Union Minister of Water Resources. The Punjab Government had agreed to build the canal from Ravi river to bring water to the arid areas of the districts of Kathua and Samba usually called Kandi areas. Punjab had also agreed to construct the power house at Shahpur Kandi and all power generated there would be given to the J&K.
However, after the verdict of the Supreme Court, J&K has changed its mind and has revived its claim of compensation and damages to the tune of Rs. 8000 crore from Punjab. The question is if the J&K had agreed to the formula proposed by the Union Ministry, should it now back-track its steps and go back to the old claim. There can be two opinions. One is that on moral ground, J&K should not break its commitment given through the Central Ministry of Water Resources only recently as a compromise formula. The other side of the case is that since the unilateral decision of the Punjab Government has been considered illegal by the Apex Court, then Punjab will have to pay the compensation to J&K which it’s illegal and unilateral action inflicted on J&K. In that sense J&K is right in asking the amount of compensation which has been justly computed and the J&K Government will undertake construction of canal and power generating unit at Shahpur Kandi on its own. We think that Punjab Government has the obligation to compensate the J&K Government if the matter is to be settled once for all.
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