TIMELINE: THE CANAL TO NOWHERE

Nov 1, 1966: Haryana carved out of Punjab; leaders disagree on how to share water from RaviBeas river system Mar 24, 1976: Centre intervenes, allocates surplus water to Haryana; all parties agree to construct the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) 1980: Construction of Haryana portion completed 1981-81: PM Indira Gandhi meets CMs of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan; Punjab told to finish construction in two years; she breaks ground to mark start of construction in Punjab; Akali Dal leads protests

1990: Punjab completes 114 of 121 km in its territory; work stalled after militants kill 35 labourers and two engineers; Centre hands over pending work to Border Roads Organisation, but no progress made since 1996: Haryana moves SC against Punjab, seeking resumption of canal construction. 2002: SC directs Punjab to complete construction 2004: Punjab assembly passes legislation — Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004 — annulling the 1981 agreement and all subsequent ones. In response,

Haryana assembly passes resolution urging Centre to intervene; Centre seeks Supreme Court opinion through Presidential reference.

Feb-March 2016: SC resumes Presidential reference hearing; Punjab start filling canal Nov 10, 2016: SC verdict on Presidential reference declares Punjab Termination of Agreements Act invalid Nov 15-16, 2016: Punjab cabinet through executive order returns SYL land to original owners; in emergency session, assembly passes resolution directing

government not to hand over land of Punjab to any agency for SYL Nov 21, 2016: SC takes up Haryana’s petition against Punjab’s unilateral action in alleged violation of earlier SC orders

Feb 22, 2017: Apex Court says canal has to be constructed March 2: Next, probably final, hearing of the contentious canal issue despite Punjab’s request that matter be deferred until after March 11, when results of the Feb 4 assembly election are to be declared