SYL CANAL ROW
filing a contempt of court petition against Punjab in the Supreme Court,’’ said a top Haryana official in know of developments. The recent communication to the state’s law officers handling the original suit said that after SC’S July 9,2019, directions, three meetings between Punjab, Haryana and the Centre were held on August 16, 2019, August 2I, 2019, and December 6, 2019, but without any outcome.
Last, on SC orders of July 28, 2020, a meeting was held by Union Minister of Jal Shakti with Punjab and Haryana CMS on August 18, 2020. The Punjab chief minister had assured that before the second round of meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister, he will hold a separate meeting with Haryana chief minister to discuss the possible way forward. Subsequently, secretary, Union Jal Shakti ministry in an October 12, 2020, letter to the Punjab chief secretary said that the second round of meeting was being contemplated and the outcome of it must be conveyed to the Centre before the second meeting.
“Nearly one-and-a-half year has passed and nothing and we have not heard anything from Punjab in this context. It implies that Punjab is not serious to resolve the SYL issue despite the
SC orders,’’ it said.
Punjab says volume of water has drastically reduced
Haryana has stuck to its stance that their share of 3.5-millionacre feet (MAF) in the Ravi and Beas waters and the completion of the canal are absolutely nonnegotiable. At present, Haryana gets 1.62 MAF of Ravi and Beas water. Punjab, on the other hand, has furthered an argument that the volume of water available in its rivers has drastically reduced over the years.
The apex court had on July 11, 2017, said that the authorities of both states remember that a decree passed by the apex court has to be respected and executed. “Our granting of time does not endow Punjab with any kind of liberty to devour time and pave the path of procrastination. On the contrary, to take a stand of amiability and amicability so that the facilitator, that is, the central government can bring both parties together to resolve the issue,” the SC had said.
Answering a presidential reference in the matter, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court had on November 10, 2016, set aside the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, a law which unilaterally terminates Punjab’s water pact with Haryana.