India, June 20 -- Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday strongly opposed the flow of water from the three western rivers of the Indus system in Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab, reminding the neighbouring state of how it had "maltreated" J&K for years together.

On the 113-km canal proposed for redirecting surplus water from the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, the three western rivers of the system, to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, Abdullah said, "I will never allow this. Let's use our water for ourselves first. There is a drought-like situation in Jammu. Why should I send water to Punjab? Punjab already had water (of three eastern rivers) under the Indus Water Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?"

"We were in dire straits then. They...