Divert Chenab waters to Punjab, Haryana to resolve SYL issue: CM Mann at Centre’s meeting

Punjab on Wednesday urged the Central Government to divert waters of the western rivers towards the state and Haryana and resolve the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal dispute forever.

The suggestion to use suspended Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan to end the SYL dispute was made at a meeting called by Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil to resolve the issue between the two states as directed by the Supreme Court, which will next hear the case on August 13.

“The Union Minister and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini both viewed the proposal of Punjab positively. How long will we live with ulcer? Why should the waters of Indus and western rivers go to Pakistan which is shedding our blood? Who should we fight with, Haryana or Pakistan?” Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said after the meeting.

He said 23 million acre feet of Chenab waters could be diverted to Punjab and further to Haryana, even Madhya Pradesh.

“We are fighting for a few million acre feet of water. If we get 23 MAF from the Chenab, the whole dispute will be resolved forever,” suggested Mann, with the Centre learnt to have noted the proposal to conduct feasibility studies on the western tributaries Indus, Chenab and Jhelum and see what levels of waters could be diverted towards Punjab and Haryana.

Mann said the two CMs will meet again with the Jal Shakti Minister on August 5 and finalise the statement to be made on the SYL issue in the top court, which had in May asked Jal Shakti Minister, earlier named mediator in the matter by Supreme Court, to resolve the issue between the warring states.

Mann said he had also complained to the Central Minister against the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which he alleged was usurping Punjab’s waters.