Jaipur, July 2 -- A 20-year-old dispute over the release of water from Rajasthan's Panchana Dam was resolved late Tuesday after hours of high-level negotiations in Jaipur, paving the way for the release of water by July 6. The breakthrough came after a marathon meeting attended by water resources minister Suresh Singh Rawat, agriculture minister Kirori Lal Meena and minister of state for home Jawahar Singh Bedham, along with representatives of farmers from both sides of the dispute. The agreement comes after weeks of escalating protests that saw the Delhi-Mumbai railway track blocked three times, prompting the state government to intensify efforts to broker peace. The meeting, held at Madhav Auditorium in Jaipur's Shiksha Sankul, initially failed to produce a consensus. Talks between ministers and farmer representatives broke down around 8 pm, after which farmers from the command area walked out of the meeting. Kirori Lal Meena also left the venue in apparent displeasure. However, fresh negotiations resumed around 10 pm when Meena returned to the auditorium. Following another round of discussions with ministers Rawat and Bedham and representatives of both groups, the two sides agreed to a settlement, ending a dispute that has simmered for nearly two decades. The conflict centred on the distribution of water from the 2,100 MCFT-capacity Panchana Dam in Gudla village of Karauli district. Farmers from Meena-dominated villages in the command area had been demanding the release of irrigation water through canals, arguing that timely supply was crucial for agriculture. Meanwhile, residents of Gujjar-dominated villages located in the dam's submergence area opposed the move, claiming that releasing water into the canals would adversely affect their agriculture. Although the dam irrigates nearly 10,000 hectares, water has not been released into the canal network since 2006 due to the prolonged dispute. Residents of 21 revenue villages, including Gudla, have consistently demanded that a lift irrigation scheme be implemented before canal water is released. The state government sought to address the long-pending demand in the 2026-27 Budget, with chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announcing a lift irrigation project for the 21 villages. Canal repair works worth Rs.11.50 crore were also undertaken and are now nearing completion. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Rawat credited CM Sharma's intervention and constructive approach for helping both sides reach an agreement. He said the government had accepted the legitimate concerns of both parties and assured that water would be released after technical inspection and testing of the canal system, with the process expected to begin by July 6. Rawat also said both sides agreed to cooperate in implementing the proposed lift irrigation scheme and strengthening the irrigation infrastructure in the command area. Bedham welcomed the agreement and appealed to all stakeholders to cooperate in restoring water flow through the canals. Meena described the settlement as the resolution of a two-decade-old dispute and thanked CM Sharma and farmer representatives for maintaining dialogue and ensuring peaceful outcome....