NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court criticised the Punjab government for its slow progress in constructing the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal, a two-decade-old pending project. The court instructed the Centre to conduct a survey of the land designated for the canal to assess the work’s status.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the delay in complying with previous orders, the bench, led by Justice SK Kaul, emphasised that the Punjab government must respect the court’s authority. The court cautioned against issuing stricter orders if necessary. Additionally, the bench requested the ASG Aishwarya Bhati to estimate the progress of construction in Punjab and urged the state to cooperate. The court’s primary concern is the execution of the canal construction decree in Punjab.
Acknowledging potential political implications, the court stressed the importance of the survey. They directed the Centre to initiate pre-construction land surveys and scheduled further consideration of the matter for January 2024.
Regarding the longstanding water dispute between Punjab and Haryana, the court had urged the CMs to meet and resolve the issue at the highest level. The court also deemed Punjab’s reliance on the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 as legally unsustainable. Punjab cited this law to refuse construction of the SYL, claiming it lacked additional river water to share with Haryana.