Centre steps in to resolve Haryana-Punjab disputes

Ravi S.Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 1

The Centre will prepare a roadmap within 45 days to find a solution to the SYL canal and other inter-state issues between Haryana and Punjab.

This was conveyed by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at a meeting here today.

The minister informed Khattar that a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the two states would be organised to resolve the issues at Chandigarh. However, no deadline has been set for the proposed meeting.

During the discussions, the minister was optimistic about an amicable solution to the inter-state disputes as there is a BJP-led NDA government at the Centre; the BJP is in power in Haryana and runs a coalition government with the Akalis in Punjab.

Khattar urged the Centre to get the hearing done early on the Presidential reference to the Supreme Court on the SYL pending for a decade.

About Delhi’s demand for more water, Khattar reiterated that Haryana was in no position to oblige as it had no additional water to offer. He suggested that the other link of Ravi-Beas should be constructed soon to stop the excess water from going to Pakistan so that the availability of water could be increased in all states.

He also favoured commencement of work on three new bridges on the Yamuna.