Centre holds SYL resolution talks with Punjab CM Mann, Haryana CM Saini
Ahead of the apex court’s August 13 deadline to resolve the vexed Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute between Punjab and Haryana, Jal Shakti minister CR Paatil began talks with the chief ministers of both states at 4 pm on Wednesday.
The meeting saw Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini in attendance, accompanied by their respective chief secretaries and water resources officials.
The meeting is underway at Shram Shakti Bhavan which houses the office of Jal Shakti ministry.
Officials from the Jal Shakti Ministry said ahead of the meeting that every effort was being made to resolve the decades-old SYL canal issue of water sharing. The Ministry had earlier sought the convenience of both chief ministers to discuss the issue.
Union Jal Shakti Ministry had written to CM Saini and CM Mann for a meeting and mediation talks, as exclusively reported by The Tribune, with July 10 suggested as the tentative date.
Top sources today told The Tribune that CR Patil took the initiative to hold an arbitration between the two states after previous rounds of talks held by his predecessor, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, failed.
The Supreme Court in May this year again directed Punjab and Haryana to cooperate with the Centre to resolve the matter. The apex court had earlier appointed Jal Shakti Minister as chief arbiter in the issue asking him to play a “proactive” role rather than remain a “mute spectator.”
The issue pertains to the construction of a 214 km SYL canal of which 122 km was to be constructed in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana.
While Haryana had completed its portion, Punjab had shelved the project in 1982. The issue dates back to 1981 when a water-sharing agreement between the two states came into being and SYL Canal Link was proposed for water sharing.
In January 2002, SC ruled in favour of Haryana and asked Punjab to construct the canal.
In 2004, Punjab assembly passed a law to terminate the 1981 agreement but in 2016, SC struck down that law.
The apex court has now scheduled the next hearing for August 13, warning it will step in if Punjab and Haryana are unable to reach a solution under Centre’s mediation.
After the Centre led talks in January 2023, CM Mann had said Punjab does not have even a single drop of water to share and hence cannot build a canal.
Mann had also suggested the SYL nomenclature be changed to YSL to save the Sutlej, which, he said, “had been reduced to a mere nullah.”
“If Yamuna can go to Shahdara, why can’t it go to Rohtak?” Mann had then argued that over 78 per cent of Punjab’s 150 blocks were in the dark zone with even the ground water drying up.
On the other hand, Haryana has consistently sought its share of fair waters under the agreement.
According to sources in the Haryana government, as per the Centre’s March 24, 1976 order, 3.5 MAF (million acre-feet) of Ravi-Beas water was allocated to Haryana. Due to an incomplete SYL canal, Haryana was receiving 1.62 MAF and alleges that Punjab is illegally using 1.9 MAF from its share.
All about the SYL dispute
- Started in 1966 post Punjab Reorganization Act.
- Punjab cited the riparian principle (owner of land close to the river will use it) to oppose sharing Ravi and Beas waters with Haryana
- A water sharing agreement was reached in 1981 and a decision was taken to build the SYL canal for effective allocation. Punjab was to build 122 km and Haryana 92 km.
- 2002: SC decrees the suit of Haryana asking Punjab to honour the agreement
- 2004: Punjab assembly passes a law to terminate the 1981 agreement
- 2016: SC strikes down 2004 Punjab law, continues to hear the matter and has appointed Union Jal Shakti Minister as chief arbiter between the two states
Punjab