Taking a strong exception to Punjab Cabinet’s decision of de-notifying the land acquired for the Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYl) canal nearly four decades back, Haryana Government on Tuesday termed the decision as unconstitutional.
lashing out at the Punjab Government for not accepting Supreme Court’s ruling on the Sutlej Yamuna link canal issue, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said that all activities of the Punjab Government concerning the SYl canal are politically motivated. Vij, while addressing the mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, said that Punjab had got sufficient time and opportunities to present its point of view regarding the SYl issue before the Supreme Court, but now the Court has given its decision in favour of Haryana by nullifying the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
He added, “Whatever happened in Punjab till now after the SC verdict on SYl canal, everything was politically motivated.”
When asked how the Haryana Government would ensure construction of SYl canal, Vij said, “We have complete faith in our Constitution and the law and hope that the Supreme Court would get its decision implemented as it
has declared the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act of 2004 as unconstitutional.”
On the other hand, Haryana Principal Secretary, Irrigation Anurag Rastogi said, “Any fresh legislation brought to nullify any part of the Presidential Reference on the Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYl) Canal on which decision has already been given by the Supreme Court, would be unconstitutional. The SC has termed the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act as
unconstitutional right from its beginning.”
Rastogi while talking to the mediapersons, said that if we go by the opinion of the Supreme Court, the step taken by Punjab Government is unconstitutional. In case any such step is taken in future, even that would be unconstitutional, he said.
He said in the decision of the Supreme Court in the year 2002 and 2004, it was stated that the SYl canal should be got completed by the Central Public Works Department, but in that situation the Punjab Vidhan Sabha enacted the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act.
He added the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court has given its decision in favour of Haryana and now, it would be forwarded to the President of India who would take the final decision.
Meanwhile, with the Opposition parties mounting pressure on the Manohar lal Khattar led Haryana Government for the implementation of Supreme Court’s decision on controversial SYl issue, the State Government has convened an all party meeting on November 17 on the issue.
The meeting would be held at Haryana Niwas on November 17 under Chief Minister Manohar lal.
A day before, both Congress and INlD had convened their party meetings and asked the State Government to immediate start work for the construction of SYl canal.