CHANDIGARH: The Centre has called a meeting of the CMs of Haryana and Punjab again on December 28 to discuss the issue of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, a bone of contention between the states for decades. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday that Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has called a meeting of the CMs of Haryana and Punjab on December 28 to discuss the issue. Officials from both states will attend the meeting to be held in Chandigarh.
“SYL is a serious issue. The date of the meeting was decided on Wednesday,” he said. Haryana government has been insisting for the implementation of Supreme Court’s January 15, 2002, and June 4, 2004, orders instructing Punjab to complete the remaining portion of the canal, while the Punjab government has been dragging its feet on one pretext or the other.
Khattar said the Haryana government wants the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict on the construction of SYL canal. “We are clear on the SYL issue. There is a decree of the Supreme Court which has to be executed. The issue of availability of water can be worked out by a tribunal after the completion of the canal,” he said.
The last bilateral meeting between the states was held on October 14. Adjourning the canal dispute between the two states, the Supreme Court had in October asked the Central government to actively pursue mediation.
The SYL canal issue has been a bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana for decades. The canal was conceptualized for effective sharing of water between the two states from the Ravi and the Beas rivers. The project envisages a 214-kilometre canal of which a 122-kilometre stretch is to be constructed in Punjab while remaining 92 kilometres was to be constructed in Haryana.
Meanwhile, Khattar said that soon Haryana will have a ‘state anthem’, proposal for which will be presented in the winter session of the state assembly.
Effective sharing of water
The canal was conceptualized for effective sharing of water between the two states from the Ravi and the Beas rivers. The project envisages a 214-kilometre canal of which a 122-kilometre stretch is to be constructed in Punjab and the remaining 92 kilometres in Haryana.