River Beas.
Credit: iStock Photo
New Delhi: The Centre has extended the deadline for the Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal to submit its report by another year, moving the deadline to August 5, 2025.
The extension comes as part of a series of delays in the submission of the tribunal's report, which has been pending since its constitution in April 1986 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
The Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal was established to address disputes and verify claims related to the Punjab Settlement, according to an official gazette notification.
Initially, the tribunal submitted its report on January 30, 1987. However, the central government sought further clarification and guidance on certain aspects of the report, leading to multiple extensions over the years.
The most recent extension, as stated in the government's notification, acknowledges the "enormous exercise" undertaken by the tribunal in preparing its report.
In consideration of the extensive work required, the government deemed it necessary to provide additional time for the tribunal to complete its task.
This marks the latest in a long line of extensions, reflecting the complexity of the issues at hand and the ongoing challenges in resolving inter-state water disputes.
The original deadline for the tribunal's report has been extended numerous times, with the latest amendment replacing the previous deadline of August 5, 2024, with the new date in 2025.