A joint meeting between Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini and Rajasthan Chief Minister Sh Bhajan Lal Sharma was held under the chairmanship of Union Jal Shakti Minister Sh CR Patil in New Delhi today. In the meeting, the issue of providing surplus water of Yamuna river from Hathnikund to Rajasthan was discussed.
Giving information after the meeting, Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that a detailed discussion took place regarding the provision of surplus water from the Yamuna River to Rajasthan. A joint task force comprising officials from both Haryana and Rajasthan will soon be formed to work on this matter.
This task force will prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed scheme in the coming days. He mentioned that during the rainy season, surplus water flows in the Yamuna, and this scheme would facilitate the use of that water for drinking water supply in various districts of Rajasthan.
The Upper Yamuna River Board will also provide technical support for the successful implementation of this scheme. The Chief Minister informed that an MoU has already been signed between the two states under the initiative of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. Further action on this MoU was discussed in today’s meeting.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also requested technical support from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to address the ‘issue of Sem’ (an issue where the groundwater of the lands comes up and the land becomes a swamp and marshy area) in various areas of Haryana. In response, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Sh CR Patil assured that a technical team would be sent to the state soon to assist in resolving the issue.
Secretary Ashok Kumar Meena, Additional Secretary Rakesh Kumar Verma from the Ministry of Jal Shakti and officials of the Rajasthan Government and Upper Yamuna River Board were also present on this occasion.