Forum to mobilise Haryana people to support SYL canal through HP

CHANDIGARH: The Forum for SYL Canal through Himachal Pradesh on Thursday decided to launch an awareness campaign to garner public support in Haryana for the construction of Sutlej-yamuna Link Canal through Himachal.

Forum president Jitendra Nath, a native of Bhiwani, said they will sensitise people over the issue in villages as well as college and university students during the next four months.

He said the canal project, which has been embroiled in politico-legal tussle between Haryana and Punjab, could be resolved with an alternative route for the canal through Himachal Pradesh.

Nath claimed that the route of the canal falls in the barren land of Himachal Pradesh, which is government-owned.

This land can be transferred by the HP government for SYL canal, he added.

He maintained that there was steep flow of water from Bhakra Dam from where the Sutlej flew for around 11 km in HP.

“The canal can be connected at any point here. The Sutlej canal here is 1,203 feet above the sea level, at Panchkula it is 1,000 ft above sea level. At Ambala, the canal is at 900 ft above sea level and at Jansui head at 823 ft above sea level. It is very clear that the SYL water could flow from Sutlej canal to Jansui head.”

“During the next four months various activities will be organised and in case no action would be taken by the governments to bring SYL water to south Haryana, a demonstration will be held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on December 1, and a memorandum will be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”