Chandigarh, May 6

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said namaz should be performed in mosques and idgahs, days after Hindu groups prevented Muslims from performing their Friday prayers in public spaces in Gurugram.

Speaking to the press before his tour of UK and Israel on Sunday, Khattar said that there was an increase in instances of namaz being offered in the open these days leading to protests from the local residents.

He, however, said that law enforcement was doing its job.

Press reports said several Hindu groups visited six spots to prevent Muslim congregation from performing their Friday prayers two days ago.

Water dispute

Speaking about water dispute that Haryana has with Punjab, Khattar said that he has asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to draw up a plan to restrict water from Ravi river from flowing into Pakistan.

“I have written a letter to the Chief Minister of Punjab asking them to take some step to prevent the flow of the water of Ravi. We have also ordered our officials to come up with some proposal on the same, so that we can use the water for people of Haryana and Punjab,” Khattar said.

Khattar’s letter

Khattar’s letter to Captain Amarinder Singh reads:

You must have noticed reports about an unprecedented water crisis that looms large before our states. More and more blocks of Haryana and Punjab have anyway been slipping into the category of over exploited blocks even as our hard working farmers toil in the face of a stressed farm sector. I think that time has come when we must join hands in checking the wasteful flow of Ravi waters to Pakistan.

You may perhaps be aware that the 6th meeting of the Committee formed by Government of India in this regard was held in the Central Water Commission, New Delhi on 23.4.2012. It had assessed the quantum of Minimum Utilizable Water (MUW) as 32 cumecs (equivalent to 0.58MAF) on a sustainable basis. The Committee decided that the proposal for its diversion by constructing a 2.0 to 2.5 m high diversion weir structure across river Ravi with a gravity flow canal off-taking from Dharamkot to Harike Head works was viable. The Committee also opined that any other techno-economically superior alternative that would minimize the problem of implementation of the scheme may be carried out during preparation of DPR based on actual survey and investigation by an agency to be decided separately at an appropriate forum.

Government of India had accordingly asked all the partner States to build consensus on engaging the Bhakra Beas Management Board to undertake feasibility studies and to construct the above project and that Government of Punjab may take follow-up action on the Minutes of meeting held on 23.4.2012.

It is indeed unfortunate that there has been no visible progress on the issue so far and the ever so precious water is still going to Pakistan. This enormous National wastage of water needs to be stopped immediately. Being divertible, this water should instead be utilized for the benefits of the people of the partner States.

I, therefore, request you to direct your concerned officers to take up the proposal in right earnest. I have directed our Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary Department of Irrigation and Water Resources to accord 'Top Priority to this. They shall make it convenient to attend any meeting that your officers may consider necessary on the subject so as to ensure expeditious implementation of this proposal which has already been declared as National Project by Government of India.



