Centre grants yet another extension to Ravi Beas Water Tribunal
'The central government, keeping in view the exigencies of the work involved, as pointed out by the Tribunal, considers it necessary to extend the said period for one year from August 5, 2025. In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 5 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the Central government hereby further extends the period within which the Tribunal may forward its report on the references so made to till August 5, 2026,' reads a July 9 notification by Union Jal Shakti ministry.
After the reorganisation of the erstwhile Punjab into the two separate states of Punjab and Haryana on November 1, 1966, disputes arose between the two states with regards to sharing of the surplus Ravi-Beas waters.
Haryana laid claim to 4.8 million acre feet (MAF) of water out of 7.2 MAF (composite Punjab's entitlement) on the principle of equitable distribution. Punjab, however, decided not to give anything to Haryana taking the plea that the latter was not a riparian state (a state located on the bank of a river).
The central government then tried to resolve the dispute by passing a statutory order on March 24, 1976 under Punjab Reorganisation Act allocating 3.5 MAF of surplus Ravi-Beas waters to Haryana out of the total 7.2 MAF share of surplus Ravi Beas waters of erstwhile Punjab. For carrying Haryana's share in the surplus Ravi Beas waters, a link canal-the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal-was planned to be constructed in the territories of Punjab and Haryana.
Haryana on its part started construction of the SYL canal in its territories towards the end of 1976 and completed it in June 1980. Upset at the decision, the Punjab government moved the Supreme Court against the centre's decision. The Haryana government too moved the apex court seeking implementation of the centre's decision. Construction of the SYL canal in Punjab territory was taken up by the Punjab government in 1982 but stopped in 1990 after completion of about 90% work.
An accord known as - the Punjab Settlement- was signed on July 24, 1985 at New Delhi between the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal. It included certain provisions relating to Ravi-Beas waters -- construction of SYL canal should be completed by August 15, 1986; claims of Punjab and Haryana regarding their shares in the remaining water be referred for adjudication by a Tribunal presided over by a Supreme court judge. In 1986, a Tribunal under Justice V Balakrishna Eradi was constituted by the central government to decide sharing of the surplus Ravi Beas waters.
Para 9.1 of the Accord said that waters used for consumptive purposes will also remain unaffected and the quantum of usage claimed shall be verified by the tribunal referred to in para 9.2.
Para 9.2 said that the claims of Punjab and Haryana regarding the shares in their remaining waters will be referred for adjudication to a Tribunal to be presided over by a Supreme Court judge. The decision of this tribunal will be rendered within six months and would be binding on both parties. All legal and constitutional steps required in this respect shall be taken expeditiously, it said.
The Tribunal gave its report on January 30, 1987 and it was forwarded to the Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan governments on May 20, 1987. The Tribunal in its award increased the share of Haryana to 3.83 MAF from 3.50 MAF and that of Punjab to 5.0 MAF from 4.22 MAF. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and the Central governments subsequently made references to the Tribunal seeking explanation/ guidance on the report in August 1987 which are under consideration till now. The Tribunal's award thus could not be notified by the central government.
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