CHANDIGARH: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that its orders on the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue have to be “respected and executed” and that the governments of Punjab and Haryana have a duty to obey them.
The court directed the two states to ensure that no agitation takes place over the issue. Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision, Punjab chief minister capt Amarinder Singh once again urged New Delhi to facilitate a dialogue between the two states for its early resolution of the issue.
Lauding New Delhi for showing keenness to forge a consensus on the issue, Amarinder expressed confidence that the matter could be resolved if all parties involved sit across a table and discuss amicably all aspects of the issue.
The chief minister said that while Punjab did not want to deprive Haryana of water, which he called a “vital resource”, the critical shortage of water in Punjab left him with no options. Punjab was taking all possible steps to conserve the depleting groundwater resource, he said.
The Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar thanked the Supreme Court for its verdict on the SYL Canal issue, and appealed to the Punjab chief minister to take immediate steps to start the construction of the SYL Canal for the benefit of farmers of both states.