NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said his government will seek royalty from Rajasthan for supplying it water, claiming that an unpaid amount of Rs 1.44 lakh crore has accumulated since 1960 under an old arrangement dating back to a 1920 tripartite agreement.

Mann cites 1920 pact, says Rajasthan still gets 18,000 cusecs

Addressing the media, Mann referred to a 1920 tripartite agreement involving the British government, the state of Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan) and the then Maharaja of Bikaner, under which Rajasthan began receiving water.He said Rajasthan is currently getting 18,000 cusecs of water through the Rajasthan feeder.According to Mann, the 1920 agreement provided for a fee to be paid for the water supplied.“Rajasthan paid royalty till 1960. But it stopped paying money thereafter, and Punjab also stopped demanding the same,” Mann said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Punjab calculates Rs 1.44 lakh crore outstanding

The Punjab chief minister said his government has now worked out the unpaid amount.“We have worked out an outstanding figure of Rs 1.44 lakh crore, calculated at old rates, which is pending since 1960. If they (Rajasthan) say there was no agreement with us, they should not take the water they are getting under the 1920 agreement,” Mann said.He also questioned why Rajasthan had continued to receive water without paying for it.“You (Rajasthan) are taking 18,000 cusecs of water from us. So why have you stopped paying money for 66 years?” he added.

Punjab writes to Rajasthan, plans to involve centre

Mann said the Punjab government has formally written to the Rajasthan government and is seeking discussions on the issue.“The 1920 agreement has not been terminated yet. We will demand royalty (from Rajasthan),” he said.He added that Punjab would also take up the matter with the Centre.