Chandigarh, Mar 18: The Punjab government will seek royalty from Rajasthan for providing it water, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday as he worked out an unpaid amount of Rs 1.44 lakh crore while referring to a 1920 tripartite agreement under which the neighbouring state started getting water.
Mann also said that Rajasthan gave royalty to Punjab for water till 1960, but it stopped after that.
Addressing the media here, Mann mentioned the 1920 tripartite agreement involving the British government, the state of Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan), and the then Maharaja of Bikaner, and said that under the deal, Rajasthan began getting water.
He said that at present, Rajasthan is getting 18,000 cusecs of water through the Rajasthan feeder.
Referring to the 1920 agreement, Mann said that at the time, a fee was charged for providing water to Rajasthan.
“Rajasthan paid royalty till 1960. But it stopped paying money thereafter, and Punjab also stopped demanding the same,” Mann said.
“We have worked out an outstanding figure of Rs 1.44 lakh crore, calculated at old rates, which is pending since 1960. If they (Rajasthan) say there was no agreement with us, they should not take the water they are getting under the 1920 agreement,” Mann said.
“You (Rajasthan) are taking 18,000 cusecs of water from us. So why have you stopped paying money for 66 years?” he added.
Mann also said the state government has written to the Rajasthan government, seeking a discussion on the matter.
“The 1920 agreement has not been terminated yet. We will demand royalty (from Rajasthan),” he said, adding that Punjab will also involve the Centre in the matter.
