For thirty long years, two neighbouring States of J&K and Punjab remained locked in stalemate over the sharing of the water of Ravi which passes through both of the two States. Sometimes one feels disappointed why the leaders cannot understand the losses people and the country suffer when they refuse to resolve disputes through give and take policy. We agree that disputes have to be solved through democratic process of creating goodwill of live and let live, but the question is that the process of goodwill cannot be left to infinity. There is a limit to everything and when limits are crossed, goodwill cannot perpetuate. Precisely, this was going to happen in regard to relations between J&K and Punjab over the Ravi water sharing issue.
Shahpur Kandi project over river Ravi would have provided water for irrigation to the kandi area of the districts of Kathua, Samba and several other areas. It would irrigate thousands of kanals of dry land and in the words of the MOS in PMO it would be a “game changer”. While Jammu and Kashmir persisted with its demand of Punjab paying the compensation for denying Kashmir the royalty of the water of Ravi for last thirty years after Punjab constructed Ranjit Sagar dam, Punjab was unwilling to let J&K take the entire power generated at Shahpur-Kandi. There were other minor issues also and in this way the entire matter had become very complicated. Officials of two states met a number of times but the stalemate continued. Even Late Mufti Sayeed met with the Punjab Chief Minister during his tenure and discussed the matter which had created a ray of hope that this matter would beresolved amicably. However, this was not to happen and the matter rested where it was.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, MOS in PMO, who represents Kathua Parliamentary Constituency had also taken up the matter with the Uma Bharati, the Union Minister for Water Resources. This set the entire process in motion. BJP is in coalition in Punjab and in J&K. This also became a positive factor in creating conditions conducive to final solution of the baffling issue. The parties were summoned to New Delhi to interact with the senior functionaries of the Union Ministry of Water Resources. The good will on all sides prevailed and a breakthrough has become possible in three-decade old dispute.
Reports emanating from reliable sources say that Punjab has shown large heartedness and made many concessions which it was unwilling to make all these years. For example Punjab has conceded several long pending demands of Jammu and Kashmir including giving entire power generated by Shahpur Kandi project to Jammu and Kashmir and bearing major expenditure on the project. Against this, J&K will be giving up its demand of compensation for thirty years which Punjab was not prepared to concede. In short, this is a give and take affair and the only way how disputes can be resolved amicably. The two sides will be working at the final draft agreement after which work on Shahpur Kandi project will begin.
Despite long delay of thirty years, the project has not lost its importance and relevance. It will produce power and it will also provide water for irrigation to the large kandi belt from Pathankot to Kathua to Samba and Hiranagar. Once water begins to flow in the canal, the area will no more be called kandi because vast tracts of water will be available for irrigating the lands. The peasants in the entire kandi belt have been waiting for this good news for last thirty years and they expect that once the project is completed, it will change their life. It has also to be noted that the quantum of water of Ravi which has not been utilized all these years has been freely flowing to Pakistan at our loss. With the completion of the project, this loss will be plugged. According to the Indus Water Treaty, three rivers have been allotted to India including Ravi and thus we have every right to utilize the waters of this river.
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