SC tells Punjab, Haryana to resolve SYL dispute by Nov 8

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: The Supreme Court on Thursday gave more time to Punjab and Ha ryan at or each a settlement on the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. The apex court, which heard the suit filed by the Haryana government seeking the completion of the canal, posted the matter to November 8.

Seeking more time, attorney general KK Venugopal told a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar that there was a possibility of the two states reaching settlement on the matter.

“As the discussion is in progress, there is all possibility of settlement,” said Venugopal seeking six weeks’ time.

During the previous hearing, the court had told the two states to build the canal before bringing their respective points of view and challenges before it.

The Sutlej-Yamuna Link is a proposed 212-kilometer canal to connect theSutlej river in Punjab and the Y am una river in Ha ryana. Both states, however, have repeatedly created obstacles that have prevented the project from taking off.

A five-judge constitution bench of the apex court, which heard a Presidential reference made by the central government on the validity of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act enacted by the Punjab assembly, had in November 2016 set aside the legislation, thus paving the way for the completion of the long-pending waterway.

The Punjab assembly on July 12, 2004, enacted the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, including the December 1981 tripartite agreement signed by chief ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, annulling all inter-state agreements signed by the state relating to sharing of the Ravi and Beas waters.

The Act completely discharged the Punjab government of any obligation arising from the agreements.

CENTRE TOLD SC THAT THE 2 STATES WERE IN NEGOTIATIONS AND ASSURED THAT A SOLUTION TO DISPUTE WOULD BE FOUND