Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and the Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, held a press conference to address the recent claims made by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding the construction of the Malwa Canal.
In his opening remarks, Warring sharply criticized CM Bhagwant Mann, labeling the canal project as yet another false promise in a series of unfulfilled commitments by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. “Like every other claim by CM Bhagwant Mann, this is going to be another false claim. The Punjab CM does not stop from trying to fool the people of Punjab via his jokes and schemes,” he asserted.
Warring went on to highlight the discrepancy between the promises made by AAP during the 2022 elections and their subsequent actions. “Even the ‘BADLAAV’ narrative set by the AAP government before the elections in 2022 was nothing but a joke where the mentioned badlaav was nothing but deteriorative work against Punjab and its people. The people of Punjab were shown dreams which have all turned to be nothing but false,” he said.
The PPCC Chief criticized the AAP government for the exodus of youth from Punjab, contrary to their claims of creating a thriving environment. “While the CM claimed that even foreigners would come to work in Punjab, we have seen our youth run away from the state in large numbers under this AAP government,” Warring remarked.
Warring also accused the AAP government of misusing public funds for personal gains, pointing to the recent procurement of a residence on rent in Jalandhar using government funds. He warned of a similar misuse of funds in the run-up to the by-elections.
At the rate that Bhagwant Mann is operating in Punjab prior to the by-elections, we are set to witness huge government funds being used in various MLA constituencies in order to achieve victory. False promises and fake claims have become a highlight of Bhagwant Mann’s tenure as the Punjab CM,” he noted.
Discussing the technical, social, economic, and environmental feasibility of the Malwa Canal project, Warring emphasized the numerous challenges that had not been addressed. “Before making such bold claims about the construction of canals, it is necessary that a few factors be taken into account such as technical factors, social and economic factors, and the environmental factors. Without proper deliberation on these factors, canals cannot be built,” he stated.
Warring expressed concerns over the environmental impact, particularly deforestation, and the logistical challenges of water distribution. He questioned the feasibility of providing water to the claimed 22 blocks and raised doubts about the technical viability of the project.
The entire area where claims are being made for the construction of this canal has huge forest cover, which will have to be cut down in order to go ahead with the project. Technically, will this claimed 2,000 cusecs of water even reach the 22 blocks?” he questioned.
He also pointed out the absence of necessary agreements and funding for the project. “I would want to ask Bhagwant Mann, has any agreement been done with the Rajasthan government for the construction of the canal and usage of their land for the same? Was any funds showcased in the budget for this canal? Of the 2,300 crores mentioned?” Warring queried.
Furthermore, Warring added. “Technically, this project cannot go ahead as has been understood by us via surveys and studies. It would be very difficult to supply water to all 22 blocks due to the difference in ground height in different regions. With the canal set to start from the Harike Barrage, which is at a lower level, it would require the government to invest in raising the level of the water in the barrage to cause mobility and flow of the water in the canal.
Close to Gidderbaha, water would then have to be lifted once again. Therefore, it is evident that this canal is technicallynot possible. Therefore, claims of the Malwa canal by Bhagwant Mann are a big question mark. The CM should instead focus on providing free electricity supply to existing pumps for water supply than making such audacious claims instead!”
In conclusion, Warring urged CM Bhagwant Mann to stop misleading the people of Punjab with unachievable promises. “Stop fooling with the people of Punjab by making bold and audacious claims which cannot be fulfilled! No work has been done by your government out of the countless claims made by you and your government. There are no funds, no procured land, but bold claims about the canal are being made by the CM. This is the same as your claims regarding:-
1. Construction of a BMW plant in Punjab,
2. MSP in 5 minutes,
3. Drugs being eliminated in 4 months in Punjab but it has now been more than 2 years with multiple failed deadlines,
4. Goldy Brar being detained,
5. Sukhvillas to be given on rent,
6. Rs 1,000 to be given to women in Punjab,
among many other promises. More than 2 years, and no promises fulfilled, this is AAP in a nutshell in Punjab,” Warring concluded.