In punjab, congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has targeted the aam aadmi party (AAP) government on many
issues of the state. In Jalandhar, Sidhu said that the government is giving importance to the sutlej Yamuna Link
(SYL) canal issue to divert people’s attention from real issues. He said that the tragedy of punjab is that people
changed the system for their own benefit. That system pushed the state backward, hence even today efforts are
being made to divert attention from the real issues. Sidhu further said that 80 percent of Punjab's water is in the
dark zone and there is less water in the state, but the government is not doing anything to save the water it has.
The water problem has increased so much that drinking water is not available. There is shortage of water in
Punjab. Rainfall has reduced by 30 percent in the last 10 years.
We polluted the canal water
The congress leader said that punjab does not even have drinking water in many parts of the state and hence the
real issue is how to manage the water we have. We have contaminated the canal water which should be
available to the people for drinking. The canal water of Punjab's Harike Barrage (at the confluence of Beas and
Sutlej), which was A grade and fit for drinking, has now changed to C grade. Now only the water of Ropar
canal is potable.
Power is being given to PSPCL on mortgage
Sidhu said that punjab is purchasing electricity at Rs 17 to Rs 20 per unit and electricity is being provided to the
people by giving mortgage to PSPCL. Farmers are not getting good markets for their produce. There was talk of
collecting revenue from liquor, but illegal liquor is being sold. No one is ready to talk on these issues of Punjab.
Sidhu alleged that there is a nexus between politicians, police and smugglers in punjab, which has to be broken.