The nearly 40-day-long standoff over Chanot village’s demand for a T-connection from the under-construction Bhakra drinking water pipeline continued on Thursday, as talks between Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and an 11-member village delegation failed to yield a breakthrough.The under construction Bhakra drinking water pipeline in Chanot village. (HT File)According to the information, the CM has made it clear to the delegation that providing a T-connection from the existing pipeline was not possible under the current legal and technical framework. He reportedly told the villagers that such a connection could not be granted within the scope of the rules governing the project.During the meeting, which was attended by Haryana public health engineering minister Ranbir Singh Gangwa, the delegation claimed that the CM assured them of clean drinking water supply to the village. He told the villagers that there is no dearth of funds or efforts for developmental works.Saini has reportedly told the villagers that he would visit Chanot village during his upcoming visit to Hisar. Following the meeting, members of the protest committee said they would return to the dharna site and hold discussions with villagers before taking any final decision on the future course of the protest.“The meeting was held in a positive atmosphere, and the CM patiently listened to our concerns. We informed him that the 36-inch pipeline being laid for Hansi city should be upgraded to 42 inches so that an additional six inches of water capacity can be allocated to Chanot village,” said Satyawan, former sarpanch of Chanot village.He said the villagers had placed their demand before the CM and were now awaiting the government’s response. “The CM told us that the government was willing to provide a separate pipeline for Chanot village,” Satyawan claimed. “We conveyed our apprehension that a separate pipeline could be vulnerable to water theft and may not be a viable long-term solution,” he said.The latest meeting comes after several rounds of discussions between the villagers and senior government functionaries, including education minister Mahipal Dhanda, PWD minister, and Hisar range IG Kuldeep Singh.In all previous meetings, the government had maintained that it was not feasible to provide a connection from the Bhakra pipeline being laid under the AMRUT-2 scheme.Instead, the government has proposed an alternative arrangement under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Under the proposal, a separate dedicated pipeline would be laid to Chanot village from either the Kharkari Head or Rajli Head.The plan also includes a separate power line, generator backup to ensure uninterrupted supply during power outages, and installation of an additional 50-horsepower motor to guarantee a regular supply of drinking water.While speaking to HT, Ranbir Singh Gangwa, said, “The meeting ended on a positive note and the government is even ready to provide villagers with more water than they need. But a T-connection in the Bhakra pipeline cannot be installed as this project is part of the AMRUT Yojana, which is meant for urban areas, and the state government is ready to provide them water under the scheme meant for rural areas.”He added that the committee members stated they will discuss this proposal with the villagers. The minister also said that he would himself visit the village whenever required to resolve this issue.