INTRODUCTION
After the reorganisation of Punjab the relationships between states got strained. Interstate relations of India run along the line of conflict and cooperation. Boundary and water disputes among Indian states are the most common issue which resulted in violence, conflicts and clashes between several states during different occasions. Punjab and Haryana also saw various disputes over boundary, water and even claim over Chandigarh as capital city.
WATER DISPUTE
Water dispute occurred after the partition when Punjab lost its colonised land to West Punjab or Pakistan. With the rise of the green revolution the demand for water for irrigation increased. During partition the conflict for sharing Indus water arose between India and Pakistan. To solve this issue Indus water treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in Rawalpindi on 18 September which put India's claim over three eastern rivers Satluj, Ravi and Beas and claim of Pakistan over western rivers. But this treaty did not solve the water conflict between states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Haryana government demanded Punjab to give s share of 4.8 MAF out 7.2 MAF of river Ravi and Beas but Punjab wanted to consume entire water on two basis i.e. water flow by Punjab and secondly water is needed for irrigation. The Haryana government sent engineers to Punjab for a survey but was denied by the Punjab government. Both the states gave their different justifications for the claim over water of River Ravi and Beas but failed to reach any agreement in the matter of sharing water.
To resolve this conflict the Central Government formed a Fact Finding Committee on 24 April 1970 to collect data of both the rivers. On March 24 1976 an order was issued by the central government about the apportionment of river water in accordance with section 78 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. Decision on sharing of water came during an emergency which was refused by the Punjab Government. In the election of 1977 Congress lost the power to Janta Dal in the Centre and the Akali-Janta coalition formed the Government in Punjab and Prakash Singh Badal became Chief minister. The Punjab government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the 1976 order while the Haryana government also filed a petition for its implementation. In the accord of 31 December 1981 After Indira Gandhi regained the power at centre as well as in Punjab and Rajasthan also. The order of 1976 got replaced by an accord of 18 December 1981 signed between three states i.e Punjab,Haryana and Rajasthan. Punjab was allowed to use surplus Rajasthan water till the completion of the Indira Gandhi canal . Haryana government was happy with the decision of making it obligatory for Punjab to construct the 6500 cusecs Sutlej- Yamuna link Canal in its territory till 31 December, 1983.
Against this Akali Dal launched the movement 'Nahar Roko Morcha' against the construction of SYL Canal but did not get much support from peasants, the movement got renamed as 'Dharmyudh Morcha' which picked up pace and became difficult for the government to solve. Rooms of government schools were turned into jails and by the end of September 1982, 20,000 agitators were arrested. On the day of Diwali agitators were released but the morcha was in progress. While captain Amrinder Singh was able to reach the negotiation and settlement between centre and state, the Haryana government appeared in the scene stating that no decision should be processed without taking Haryana into consideration in the matter of river water and Chandigarh, on the same hand Rajasthan government took Similar stand and no settlement was done. Other negotiations began on 24 January 1983 where both Haryana and Punjab agreed that the water dispute be referred to a tribunal headed by the Supreme Court. Condition of Akali dal was that actual utilisation of water by Punjab should not be disturbed but was refused by the government which broke the negotiation on February 20, 1983.
BORDER DISPUTE : CHANDIGARH
Before partition of India Lahore was the capital of Punjab for centuries which was well known and developed city of north India but it got separated from India during Partition and went in Pakistan so Eastern Punjab had to built new capital for which Chandigarh was choose. It was selected for its newly well planned city by a French Architect and called it the City beautiful. But after the separation of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh fell on the border of both the states which was turned into Union Territory by the Central Government and served as Capital for both Punjab and Haryana. As per Shah commission The district of Kharar and Chandigarh to be shifted in Haryana according to census that Hindi speaking majority areas would be shifted to Haryana. But a dispute occurred that the majority area of Kharar is Punjabi speaking. Dispute was solved by creation of Chandigarh as UT and one common high court was created for both the states as Punjab and Haryana High Court. But Punjab's sole claim over Chandigarh continued but it remains unaccomplished till day. At present Chandigarh is serving as capital of both states. Satellite towns like Panchkula in Haryana and Mohali in Punjab were developed by both the states.
CONCLUSION
Punjab and Haryan till date are surrounded by conflicts related to water disputes and claims over Chandigarh. Haryan even demanded a separate high court due to overcrowding. Punjab suggested the idea of creating New Chandigarh by adjoining the existing towns which was opposed by Haryana by stating that Punjab do not have exclusive rights over Chandigarh. Chandigarh is bearing a load of two states and serving as capital city but is a major arena for dispute between two states.
BOOK REFERENCE ( CLICK TO BUY )
The Sikhs of the Punjab (The New Cambridge History of India)