Sampat Singh opposes Badal’s demand

Thus the Punjab cannot stake its claim over the water, he added. The former Haryana minister said though Chief Minister Bansi Lal had already opposed the demand of Badal for abolition of the tribunal, he had missed out many vital facts. He wondered why the interim award of the tribunal which came in 1987 had not been implemented. Sampat Singh, speaking on the river and water disputes among the states, demanded that rivers should be declared a national asset and the Centre should set up a National authority for management, distribution and usage of the river water in an equitable manner.

Sampat Singh also proposed to the Centre that it should formulate a comprehensive policy on exploitation of country’s hydel potential. He quoted that Himachal had a potential of 33,000 mw but it had meagre resources for investment in the power sector. The Centre must come forward and play a key role in taking up the hydel projects to meet the demand for power in the country. He favoured grant of royalty and other benefits to Himachal Pradesh on setting up power projects here.

The Lok Dal leader came down heavily against Bansi Lal for agreeing to the World Bank condition to scrap Haryana State Electricity Board. “It is an unwise move and assets of HSEB were being sold out at a throwaway price,” he alleged and suspected some underhand deal.

Sampat Singh demanded setting up of a regional council for states of Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi for their speedy development and promoting close cooperation between these states. About Haryana government, Sampat Singh predicted it would fall under its own weight. He accused the Chief Minister of ruling the state like a dictator and said the imposition of prohibition and later its abolition had only led to rise in crime in the state.