SYL: Centre to hold talks with Punjab, Haryana CMs today

The Centre will hold the fourth round of talks with Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann and Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link canal issue on July 9. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on August 13. Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil will chair the meeting of the CMs.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the ruling BJP government should file a contempt of court case, as holding a meeting on the SYL issue would not help Haryana obtain its rightful share of water.

Reacting to the proposed meeting on SYL, he said the BJP government should now move beyond these meetings, as the Supreme Court’s decision was in favour of Haryana a long time ago.

“The court had given the responsibility of providing Haryana’s share of water to the Central government. There is a BJP government both in Haryana and at the Centre. In such a situation, Haryana should have gotten its share of water by now. But due to the BJP’s anti-Haryana attitude, this could not happen. Now, if the government is talking about it, then it should directly file a contempt of court case,” he said.

Answering media queries, he said the BJP government had once again failed to provide fertilisers to farmers on time. “Once again, farmers are forced to leave their farms and work and stand in never-ending long queues. Due to the non-availability of DAP, farmers are wandering around helplessly, and there is a threat of damage to the crops,” he said.

Expressing concern over the shortage of DAP, Hooda said ever since the BJP government came to power in the state, our farmers have been yearning for MSP, fertilisers and seeds.

Haryana Tribune