CHANDIGARH: The long pending Satluj Yamuna Link (SLY) Canal issue between the States of Punjab and Haryana might be resolved as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly called a meeting of chief ministers of both the States on April 20 in a bid to resolve the issue.
Sources said both the State governments have been directed by the Union government to formulate plans and develop a strategy on this issue.
Highly placed sources said the Union government might form a new tribunal to solve this issue but it has indicated that the tribunal will only be formed if the Punjab government abides by its directions, if at all directed to release water to Haryana. The government has to also finish building the disputed and unfinished SYL canal.
The Punjab Government had in March told the Supreme Court, reaffirming a stand which its successive governments have taken, that the SYL canal cannot be built due to depleting water flow.
It had argued that a 2004 State law, that terminated water-sharing agreements with its neighbours, was never challenged or declared unconstitutional.
As the Congress government came to power in the State, Punjab’s new Advocate General Atul Nanda made it clear that that the government was contemplating the move to approach various authorities, including the Union government as it has not a single drop of water to spare.
Nanda has also set up a team to study the SYL issue so that a strategy can be formulated to protect the rights of the State.
A few days ago, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and taken up the issue with him. He told PM Modi that Punjab did not have enough water to share with neighbouring Haryana, and the issue should be sorted out at a State level.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had already stated that the formation of a Congress government in Punjab will not have any impact on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue.
“The Supreme Court has already announced its verdict on SYL in Haryana’s favour and it will definitely get its share of river water,” Khattar had said.
The Haryana Government on Monday requested the Supreme Court to take up the SYL canal issue at the earliest, saying that the State was suffering due to the delay in final disposal of the matter.