SYL canal issue: Haryana CM Manohar Lal requests Amit Shah to convene CMs meet with Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar today raised the issue of Sutlej-Yamuna-Link (SYL) canal, appointment of members in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), restoration of state’s share in Panjab University (PU), and a new additional building for the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, during the 30th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the meeting at Jaipur.

The CM said due to the non-completion of the SYL canal, surplus unchanneled water of Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas goes to Pakistan.

Khattar pointed out that on May 6, 2022, he had requested the Union Minister of Jal Shakti to convene the second-round meeting of the CMs of both Punjab and Haryana at the earliest to discuss the issue. Besides, he had written to Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting to organise a meeting of the CMs of both the states.

Earlier, he had also written three letters to the Punjab CM but no response was received from his side.

Now that the new government has come in Punjab, therefore, the Home Minister is again requested to hold the meeting at the earliest and the Supreme Court should also be informed about its findings, said Khattar.

In the meeting, the CM also raised the issue of getting 700-1,000 cusecs of less water from the Bhakra main line canal.

Highlighting the issue of appointment of members in BBMB, the CM said that the previous tradition of nominating Member (Irrigation) from Haryana should be continued on similar lines as the nomination of Member (Power) from Punjab. If there is interference in the processes which is going on for the last about 56 years, it will affect the interests of Haryana, especially in the context of Sutlej- Beas river water sharing, he said.

On Panjab University (PU), Khattar said the share of Haryana should be restored and the colleges of Haryana adjoining Chandigarh should be affiliated with this varsity.

Haryana's share in PU was granted under the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966. It was abolished by the Union Home Ministry by issuing a notification on November 1, 1973. Earlier the colleges of the erstwhile Ambala district of Haryana were affiliated with this University.

Khattar said Haryana is committed to the speedy construction of National Highway-105 connecting Haryana with Himachal Pradesh. The length of this project is 31.71 km, out of which 13.30 km falls in Haryana.

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