Constructing SYL Punjab’s responsibility, says Khattar

New Delhi, October 7

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the SYL canal was clear and the water dispute was a separate matter.

He said it was the responsibility of the Punjab Government to respect the apex court’s ruling and complete the canal construction.

Khattar also said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was politicising the issue. “When Arvind Kejriwal visits Haryana, he should clarify his stance on the SYL canal,” the CM said amid opposition to SYL by AAP-ruled Punjab.

Asked to react on Punjab BJP’s opposition to SYL, Khattar said: “State units sometimes make such comments but this is not a political issue.”

The CM, speaking on stubble burning, said: “Punishment was not a final solution to stubble burning and the state was working on a long-term strategy to commercialise stubble through eco-friendly briquettes, which could be then used as fuel. The CM said stubble-burning cases had fallen from 6,000 in the previous year to 150 now.

PM Modi introduced me to computers

The CM on Saturday recalled a 1996 anecdote when then BJP regional in-charge of Rohtak Narendra Modi introduced him to computers. “I was the chief organiser and Modiji was regional in-charge in Rohtak when he arrived at our office with three large boxes of computers. This was my first encounter with computer technology,” the CM said.