Centre talks of keeping SYL canal ready as Punjab, Haryana stick to their stands

CHANDIGARH:EVEN as Punjab and Haryana stuck to their “stated positions” on the contentious Sutlej-yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Union water resources minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said the SYL could be completed and kept ready while discussions on water sharing continue and the final formula could be decided later.

The Union minister’s view was reflected in an official statement issued by the Punjab government after his meeting with the state’s chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Shekhawat and Khattar were present in Delhi whereas Amarinder joined the meeting through video conference.

“Detailed discussion was held in a positive and cordial atmosphere. Both chief ministers expressed their views in the first round of talks. Another meeting will be held in a week or so to take things forward,” Shekhawat told reporters after the meeting, adding that the logjam between the two states has been broken.

The central minister convened the meeting with the two chief ministers to work out a solution for implementation of Supreme Court’s January 15, 2002, and June 4, 2004, orders to complete the remaining portion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. The meeting was called on the directions of the apex court which, during a hearing on July 28, directed that the chief ministers of the two states “meet to find out the solution if any, else there is a decree which has to be executed”.

The sharing of the Ravi-beas waters has been a bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana for decades. While Haryana has been seeking its “rightful” share, successive Punjab governments have refused to share water and complete the SYL canal, which was to carry the former’s share of water, stating that it has not water to spare.

During the video conference, Amarinder reiterated the need for a tribunal to make a fresh time-bound assessment of the water availability, even as he sought complete share of water for his state from the total resource available, including from Yamuna.

Khattar, on the other hand, said that completion of the SYL canal by Punjab and availability of water were entirely different issues. “We are open for dialogue and discussion on the subject but with a clear stipulation and condition that construction of SYL must be completed as per decree of the Supreme Court at the earliest,” he added.

Punjab will burn if Centre goes ahead with SYL canal . It’s an emotive issue that could disturb national security CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, Punjab chief minister