Centre writes to Punjab, Haryana CMs for July talks to end SYL dispute

The Centre on Thursday said it was making every possible effort to resolve the vexed decades-old Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana and had sought the convenience of the chief ministers of both states to discuss the issue at the earliest.

The Jal Shakti Ministry has written to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann for a meeting and mediation talks are likely around July 10 in Delhi.

Top sources today told The Tribune that Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil took the initiative to hold an arbitration between the two states after previous rounds led by his predecessor Gajendra Singh Shekhawat failed.

The Supreme Court in May again directed Punjab and Haryana to cooperate with the Centre to resolve the matter. The apex court had earlier appointed the Jal Shakti Minister as the chief arbiter in the issue asking him to play a proactive role rather than be just a “mute spectator”.

Paatil today confirmed to The Tribune that efforts to resolve the conflict were on.

“The SC has issued certain orders in the matter and as per the SC directions, we will move forward in the direction of a solution to the SYL issue,” Paatil told this correspondent. The issue pertains to the construction of a 214 km SYL canal of which 122 km was to be constructed in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana. While Haryana completed its part, Punjab shelved the project in 1982. The matter goes back to 1981 when a water-sharing agreement between the two states was reached and a decision to build the SYL Canal taken for better water sharing.

In January 2002, the SC ruled in favour of Haryana asking Punjab to construct the canal as per terms of the agreement. However, the Punjab Assembly, in 2004, passed a law to terminate the 1981 agreement. This 2004 Punjab law was struck down by the SC in 2016.

The matter has since lingered on in the highest court, which has now fixed August 13 as the next date of hearing if Punjab and Haryana, under the Centre’s mediation, again fail to reach an agreement.

After the Centre-led talks in January 2023, Mann had said Punjab did not have even a single drop of water to share and could not build the canal.

Mann also suggested that the SYL nomenclature be changed to YSL to save the Sutlej, which, he said, “had been reduced to a mere nullah”. “If the Yamuna can go to Shahdara, why can’t it go to Rohtak,” Mann said, arguing that over 78 per cent of Punjab’s 150 blocks were in the dark zone with even the groundwater drying up.

Haryana has, meanwhile, sought its share of fair waters under the 1981 agreement. Haryana Government sources say that as per the Centre’s March 24, 1976, orders, 3.5 MAF (million acre feet) of water was allocated to Haryana out of the surplus water of the Ravi-Beas but due to an incomplete SYL canal, Haryana was receiving 1.62 MAF.

Dates back to 1966

• Started in 1966 post-Punjab Reorganisation Act

• Punjab cited riparian principle (owner of land close to the river will use it) to oppose sharing Ravi and Beas waters with Haryana

• Water-sharing pact reached in 1981; decision taken to build SYL Canal; Punjab was to build 122 km, Haryana 92 km

• 2002: Apex court decrees the suit of Haryana asking Punjab to honour pact

• 2004: Punjab Assembly passes a law to terminate the 1981 agreement

• 2016: Apex court strikes down the 2004 Punjab law