With the Constitution of a joint task force for preparing DPR for the ambitious project of sharing Yamuna waters between Haryana and Rajasthan is now expected to be taken up expeditiously.
“The Haryana Government constituted the taskforce on March 5 last week and the panel would now prepare the DPR by next four months,” Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma told the state assembly here Wednesday evening.
Sharma said it is in compliance with the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed between Rajasthan and Haryana in New Delhi on February 17 last year for providing surplus flood waters of the Yamuna to scarcity hit districts of Shekhawati region in Rajasthan.
This agreement was signed after thorough discussions among officers of the two states, the Jal Shakti Ministry, the Upper Yamuna River Board and the Central Water Commission in the presence of CM Sharma, his (then) counterpart Manohar Lal and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
As per the agreed timeline of the project, this process of the constitution of the joint taskforce and drafting of the DPR were supposed to be done within four months by June last year, has been delayed by almost one year, due to enforcement of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls 2024 and the subsequent Haryana Assembly elections.
It was emphasised, in the agreement, that it is necessary to create (storage) facilities for optimum utilisation of Yamuna water by the co-basins states in respective areas as per their allocations in the MoU of May 12, 1994, an official spokesman said here.
The Upper Yamuna Review Committee in its seventh meeting held on February 15, 2018 had advised Rajasthan to prepare the DPR for the project to transfer its share in Yamuna Water at Tajewala head from Haryana to Rajasthan and it’s utilisation in Jhunjhunu and Churu districts envisaging usage of underground pipelines to fetch water, he said.
It was also mentioned in the MoU that the supply of Yamuna water to areas in the Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and other districts of Rajasthan is considered very essential for ensuring drinking water supply and other needs.
After deliberations, consensus was reached on February 17 last year, for preparation of DPR jointly by the Governments of Haryana and Rajasthan for transfer of water through underground pipelines.
A Memorandum of Understanding in this regard was signed among the two states and the Centre to provide that two stakeholders will avail water through under -ground pipelines during July to October, upto 577 MCM for drinking water supply and other requirements for Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and other districts of Rajasthan after utilisation of full capacity (24,000 cusec) of Western Yamuna Canal by Haryana including Delhi share at Hathnikund under Phase-1 of the project.
Three storage facilities would be constructed for Rajasthan. After construction of three identified storages in Upper Yamuna Basin, namely, Renukaji, Lakhwar and Kishau, the corresponding (stored) share of Rajasthan at Hathni kund shall be supplied through the same system during rest of the year, for drinking and irrigation purpose, to the extent possible.