JAIPUR: After a two-decade-long deadlock between Meena and Gujjar community stakeholders over water release from the Panchana Dam in Karauli district, the Rajasthan government on Tuesday night reached a breakthrough agreement to begin releasing water by July 6.
The decision came after weeks of escalating protests and multiple rounds of negotiations, culminating in a high-level meeting in Jaipur following a marathon discussion at Madhav Auditorium in Shiksha Sankul, where ministers and representatives of both sides agreed on a roadmap to resolve the long-pending irrigation dispute.
The conflict had intensified across nearly 75 villages in Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts, with members of the Meena and Gujjar communities at loggerheads over the distribution of canal water. The agitation had recently escalated, with protesters blocking the Delhi–Mumbai railway line on three occasions, prompting intensified intervention by the state government.
The talks initially broke down around 8 pm when representatives of farmers from the canal command area walked out after negotiations failed to yield an agreement. Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena also left the venue shortly thereafter. However, discussions resumed nearly two hours later after Meena returned along with Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat and Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham, eventually resulting in a consensus.
At the heart of the dispute were competing claims from villages in the command area and those in the submergence zone. Farmers from 35 Meena-dominated villages in the command area had been demanding irrigation water through canal networks, saying delayed supply had severely affected agriculture. In contrast, residents of 40 Gujjar-dominated villages in the submergence area opposed canal release, arguing it would worsen flooding and increase hardship in surrounding villages.
Although the Panchana Dam has a storage capacity of 2,100 MCFT and is designed to irrigate around 10,000 hectares, canal water has not been released since 2006 due to the unresolved dispute. Villagers, including those in Gudla, have also demanded a lift irrigation project to ensure water supply before canal operations resume.
The state government had earlier attempted to address the issue in the 2026–27 Budget, announcing a lift irrigation scheme for affected villages. Repair and restoration of the canal network, costing Rs 11.50 crore, is also nearing completion.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat said the agreement was achieved through dialogue and the “positive approach adopted by the Chief Minister.” He added that concerns of both sides were taken into account and assured that water would be released only after technical inspection and trial runs of the canal system, expected to be completed in time for release by July 6.
Rawat said, “The long-standing dispute has been resolved. The Rajasthan government will do whatever is possible for the development and welfare of the region's farmers.”
Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena described the agreement as the resolution of a nearly 20-year-old dispute and thanked both communities for choosing dialogue over confrontation. He also said, “a decision about the release of water would be taken following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on July 4.”
Sources said that after initial talks failed and Meena briefly left the meeting, the government factored in the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit and decided to defer final execution until after July 4. A consensus was then reached among the three ministers, allowing a short implementation window before July 6.
On Tuesday, the High Court also expressed displeasure over delays in supplying water to the command area of the Panchana Dam and directed the government to release water within three weeks. The government, citing potential law-and-order concerns due to local opposition, sought 15 days to comply with the order.
