Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, December 20-
Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry has urged the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to prioritize the construction of the Mavi Barrage near Panipat. Highlighting its significance, she stated that the proposed barrage could supply more water to Rajasthan than the Hathnikund Barrage, while also providing additional water resources to Haryana.
The Irrigation Minister presented this demand during the 38th Annual Inter-State River Linking Meeting, held virtually under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary.
Choudhry emphasized that Haryana lacks adequate water storage facilities on the Yamuna river, which flows through the state. She said that during the monsoon season, surplus water from the Yamuna river flows wastefully into the Bay of Bengal. The construction of the Mavi Barrage as part of the Sharda-Yamuna Interlinking Project would secure additional water for Haryana, ensuring sufficient resources for both irrigation and drinking water.
On the broader topic of river interlinking, Mrs. Choudhry highlighted a long-standing challenge—Nepal’s pending consent on the Sharda-Yamuna Interlinking Project, as the Sharda river originates in Nepal. She urged swift action to resolve this delay.