Chandigarh, April 5: Seeking compensation of Rs 80,000 crore to the state of Punjab as cost for river waters given free since 1947 to the state of Rajasthan and other non-riparian states, Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi and 19 other petitioners moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday.
Their petition is yet to come up for hearing. The petitioners, including High Court’s former Judge Justice Ajit Singh Bains, claimed their grievance was that Punjab was the only state in the world whose water was given to other non-riparian states.
Their counsel RS Bains submitted that there was no constitutional principle, declaration of law by the Supreme Court or award by water tribunals, by which river water of riparian states had been allocated to non-riparian states even if they were successor states.
“In no judicial precedent, river water of the parent state has been given to other non-riparian or successor state without payment,” Bains said.
Referring to the “first decision” by the Government of India on January 29, 1955, the petitioners said it clearly pointed out that allocation of cost of water would be taken up separately.
“Rajasthan has no right under the Constitution to claim a drop of water from Punjab, HPand Kashmir,” Bains added.
Source Tribune India
