Won’t share Indus waters with other states: Omar | India News

JAMMU: Days after Union home minister Amit Shah declared that Indus waters will be taken to Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar through canals within three years, J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday opposed sharing such flows with other states.“I will never allow this (divert water from J&K to other states). Let’s use our water for ourselves first,” Omar said when asked about the Centre’s proposal for a 113-km canal to redirect surplus waters from Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.Shah had announced the canal plan in Madhya Pradesh’s Pachmarhi on June 14 against the backdrop of the Centre putting Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan “in abeyance” in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam attack.Speaking on the sidelines of an outreach office’s inauguration in Jammu on Friday, Omar made it clear that he would not allow any proposal to build a canal and divert surplus water to other states. “I am not going to give approval. Let us be allowed to use our water first, then we will talk about others,” the J&K chief minister said.Among the three states mentioned in the water-sharing plan, the CM specifically questioned Punjab’s inclusion. “Why should I send water to Punjab? Punjab already has water under Indus Waters Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?” Omar said.Among the three states mentioned in the water-sharing plan, the CM specifically questioned Punjab’s inclusion. “Why should I send water to Punjab? Punjab already has water under Indus Waters Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?” Omar said. He alleged that Punjab had kept J&K waiting for years on two key projects, Ujh Shahpur Kandi. “The water of the three rivers is for us. We will use it for ourselves and then think about others,” Omar said.The CM slammed PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference chief Sajjad Lone for criticising his National Conference (NC) govt over high reservations in J&K, alleging the two were politicising the issue. “Where was she when she had the opportunity to raise this issue?” Omar asked. The allusion was to Mehbooba’s term as chief minister in coalition with BJP from 2016 to 2018.Omar pointed out that a cabinet sub-committee set up by his government had submitted its report on reservations and the law department was examining it.Asked if his govt would move Supreme Court to have J&K’s statehood restored, Omar expressed hope that PM Narendra Modi and the Centre would stand by their commitment on such a move. “Will see whether we have to go legally or not for statehood but till then, we are waiting for the Prime Minister and home minister (Shah) as they have assured that statehood will be restored,” the CM said.