Punjab, Rajasthan oppose state’s plea on using Hansi-Butana canal Citing Centre’s alert on possible drought in 2014 due to the El Nino effect, Haryana today pleaded in the Supreme Court for using the 109-km Hansi-Butana canal by pumping water from the Bakhra Mainline (BML). Since the SC had restrained Haryana from puncturing the BML for taking water through the canal, the court should at least allow the pumping of water, senior counsel for Haryana Altaf Ahmed pleaded with a Bench comprising Justices HL Gokhale and NV Ramana. Punjab and Rajasthan, however, opposed the plea. Appearing for Punjab, senior advocate Harish Salve said the SC had already rejected Haryana’s alternative proposals for puncturing BML, including taking water through siphons. Appearing for Rajasthan, senior advocate KK Venugopal said the SC had passed six orders rejecting such pleadings by Haryana and at this stage it should not be allowed to use the canal. According to Punjab, allowing Haryana to puncture the BML for using the canal would result in floods in its territories. On the other hand, Rajasthan contends that letting Haryana draw water from the BML at a higher point would reduce the flow of water to the lower riparian areas, adversely affecting its interest. Haryana contended that it wanted to take only 0.8 MAF of water through the canal, which was about 50 per cent of the state’s entitlement of 1.62 MAF of water. This was necessary to meet exigencies of drought. The Union Agriculture Ministry had sent a communication to Haryana and other states asking them to gear up for facing a possible drought arising from the El Nino effect, Ahmed said. The Central Water Commission (CWC) had made it clear that taking water through the canal would not affect the interests of Punjab or Rajasthan, he contended. Haryana pleaded for making the CWC a respondent to its application filed in Punjab’s original suit against the Hansi-Butana canal. At this, both Punjab and Rajasthan argued that Haryana should first file a formal plea in this regard so that they would get a chance to oppose it. Allowing Haryana to file an application in this regard within a week, the Bench asked Punjab and Haryana to submit their response within two weeks thereafter. The Bench fixed April 14 as the next date of hearing.