Will build three dams in Uttarakhand, divert water flowing to Pakistan, says Nitin Gadkari
Referring to the Indus water treaty (signed by India and Pakistan in 1960), Nitin Gadkari said the two countries each had got three rivers after Partition in 1947, claiming that Indian share of water was also going to Pakistan.
Union Minister for Transport and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari said on Monday that the Centre would take steps to stop the unutilised Indian share of water flowing to Pakistan through three rivers. “The issue of three rivers whose water was given to Pakistan is a separate issue, but the water of our three rivers whose water is necessary for our development is also going to Pakistan. The Indian government has decided to stop water (of our share) of three rivers to provide it to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to solve the problem of water),” said Gadkari amid cheers from farmers. The minister was addressing the concluding session of Agri Leadership Summit-2018 in Rohtak, Haryana.
“Three dams will be constructed in Uttarakhand to stop the unutilised share of India in the river waters from flowing back to Pakistan. Water thus saved would be brought to Haryana through the Yamuna to overcome shortage and feed the parched lands in the state. It will be taken to other states also,” he said.
“During Partition, India got three rivers but we could not utilise our share of the waters, which kept flowing back to Pakistan. Now, the Centre has decided to stop the flow of the country’s due share into Pakistan and utilise it to feed our parched lands.” He added, “The Centre had taken several steps to utilise water flowing waste into the ocean. Through drip irrigation, farmers will get three times more water, which would result in more than doubling the production”.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured farmers of the country one-and-a-half times the cost of production of crops as MSP and we will achieve it at any cost. In order to increase the income of farmers, the PM called a meeting today and I came straight to the summit after attending the meet,” Gadkari said.
Referring to the Indus water treaty (signed by India and Pakistan in 1960), the minister said the two countries each had got three rivers after Partition in 1947, claiming that Indian share of water was also going to Pakistan. Speaking to The Indian Express, Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar said, “The PM raised the issue of Indus water treaty earlier. But now, the minister’s statement means the matter may have reached the stage of planning.”