‘Are you unhappy with Punjab CM?’: Union Minister’s riposte to Raghav Chadha on water issue
In New Delhi on December 3, Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav poked fun at AAP‑led Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who had been highlighting Punjab’s severe water problems. Yadav pointed out that the crisis Chihuahua was pointing out actually belongs to the state government, a party he belongs to.
While the House was buzzing with heated debate, Yadav said, “Raghav Chadha ji ne sach kaha ya Mukhyamantri ji se narazgi hai.” (Did Raghav Chadha speak the truth, or is he upset with the Chief Minister?) He added that Punjab has stumbled when it comes to tackling disease and air pollution.
“Punjab has failed to safeguard subjects entrusted to it under the State List. We know the peril of land pollution; we have issued repeated notices. It remains the gravest challenge, and the state government is at work upon it,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, Raghav Chadha, during a discussion about an amendment to a water‑pollution bill, quoted the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He said, “Air is the Guru, water the father, and earth the mother.” He reminded the House that Punjab, his homeland, is the land of five rivers—Panj plus Aab—and that this river‑rich state now faces its biggest challenge in water quality and availability.
He noted that when India needed grain, Punjab supplied it, turning into a hero that now pays a steep price. Farmers, in their service to the nation, turned to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, cultivated water‑intensive rice, and continually tapped into tube wells. As a result, the water has become toxic and the water table is sinking. He insisted it was not the farmers’ fault—that pain is a cost of feeding the country.
Chadha warned that the Union government’s 2025 Groundwater Quality Report shows Punjab suffering the highest levels of uranium contamination. He described uranium as not an ordinary metal but a radioactive poison that can cause kidney damage, cancer, brittle bones, and future generations’ suffering. Post‑monsoon samples flagged 62.5 % above safe limits. Arsenic, lead, cadmium, and chromium all exceed WHO thresholds, especially in the Malwa belt—Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Fazilka.
Chadha stressed that Punjab does not beg for charity; it demands justice. For fifty years, Punjab has been the backbone of India’s food security, and today the nation must stand by it.
He closed with a proposal for renewal, suggesting the launch of a Punjab Water Restoration Mission that would include continuous digital monitoring of industrial discharge. “Employ ecological engineering to breathe life back into rivers. Guarantee safe drinking water for all. And let independent foreign audits ensure accountability,” he urged.
Yadav’s retort came after the House debated a “Statutory Resolution” that he had introduced. That resolution seeks to adopt the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024—an Act that drops criminal penalties for minor offenses—for the State of Manipur. With President’s Rule imposed in Manipur since 13 February 2025 under Article 356, the resolution would extend the amended Act to Manipur from the date of its passage.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
