Divert Chenab to fix SYL dispute forever, Mann tells Centre

The Punjab Government on Wednesday proposed leveraging the suspended Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan as a long-term solution to the festering Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue involving water sharing with neighbouring Haryana, a suggestion the Centre is open to exploring.

Key milestones in SYL dispute

1966: Punjab invokes riparian principles, refuses to share Ravi-Beas waters with newly formed Haryana

1981: Water-sharing agreement signed, mandating SYL canal construction — Punjab (122 km) and Haryana (92 km)

2002: The Supreme Court directs Punjab to comply with the 1981 pact after Haryana’s plea

2004: The Punjab Assembly unilaterally terminates the agreement through legislation

2016: The SC nullifies Punjab’s 2004 law, retains jurisdiction, and appoints Union Jal Shakti Minister as mediator

At a meeting convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil to resolve the water-sharing issue, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged the Centre to expedite the diversion of Chenab waters to Punjab, which could then be shared with Haryana, even Madhya Pradesh and other states. The Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — the three western rivers of the Indus system — were allocated to Pakistan under the 1961 IWT, which India suspended following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The Centre took note of Mann’s proposal and scheduled a follow-up meeting on August 5 to take a call on the issue, which will be conveyed to the Supreme Court during the hearing of the case on August 13. The apex court had earlier appointed the Jal Shakti Minister as a mediator and directed him to facilitate a mutually acceptable resolution between Punjab and Haryana.

Mann described the discussions as “very cordial” and expressed optimism that the suspended IWT could offer a breakthrough. As Mann and Saini called the two states as brothers, the former said if 23 million acre feet (MAF) of Chenab waters could be diverted through the Pong Dam, Ranjit Sagar Dam and Bhakra Dam, the SYL matter would be resolved forever.

The Centre is reportedly assessing the technical feasibility of diverting Chenab waters to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Top sources said plans were underway to test the feasibility of a canal to link the Chenab with the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system, with the Power Ministry already initiating four projects on the western rivers.

Calling the SYL issue an “ulcer”, Mann said Pakistan, which was shedding Indian blood, should not get Indus waters. “A ray of hope has emerged from the suspension of the IWT. Among the western rivers, Jhelum waters cannot come to us as we have no channel. But Chenab waters can come through the three dams,” Mann said.

He said Punjab, as a riparian state, would have first right on the diverted waters but was willing to share it with neighbouring states. “Haryana is not our enemy. It is our brother… We are fighting over 2-3 MAF. If we get Chenab’s 23 MAF water, our problems will vanish,” he said, adding that he had complained to Paatil against the Bhakra Beas Management Board which was “plundering Punjab’s waters”.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini termed the talks “positive” and expressed confidence in an amicable resolution. Meanwhile, Mann highlighted Punjab’s critical role in India’s food security, producing 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and 185 lakh metric tonnes of rice for the central pool.

Reiterating Punjab’s stance, Mann ruled out constructing a canal on its territory, citing water scarcity. “We will not build any canal. We just want the SYL issue resolved,” he said, recalling PM Narendra Modi’s statement that “blood and water cannot flow together”.

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