In a resolute response to the Supreme Court's reprimand over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal coupled with a stern directive regarding its construction, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday left no room for compromise, asserting that not a single drop of water would be ceded to any other state.
Mann's declaration, following an urgent Cabinet meeting in the morning, underscored the escalating tensions in the ongoing SYL canal dispute, raising critical questions about water rights and interstate relations.
The emphatic response was prompted by the Supreme Court’s discontent with the Punjab Government’s delay in completing its portion of the SYL canal. The Chief Minister's commitment to preserve Punjab's water resources comes at a time when the State is grappling with the legal, political, and environmental consequences of this contentious issue.
Mann’s pronouncement, made on social media, left little room for interpretation: “Not a drop extra would be given to any state”. Simultaneously, the Cabinet meeting addressed the scheduling of the Monsoon Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, indicating the Government's determination to deal with pressing matters.
The Supreme Court's earlier order halted Punjab’s allocation of land for the SYL canal and instituted a receiver to oversee the situation. Now, it has asked the Centre to assess the status of the designated land in Punjab and ensure its protection, along with determining the extent of construction accomplished thus far. This move underscores the judiciary's insistence on resolving the long-standing issue.
Punjab's Cabinet, however, remains unyielding. It contends that the state lacks any surplus water to share with neighboring Haryana, emphasizing the need for a reassessment of water availability, in accordance with international norms. It observed that the Sutlej river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of its water.
Drawing attention to the alarming over-exploitation of groundwater, with 76.5 per cent of its blocks (117 out of 153) exceeding 100 per cent extraction in contrast with Haryana which had 61.5 per cent of its blocks (88 out of 143) classified as over-exploited, Punjab challenges Haryana's claims and the broader implications for the region.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated Punjab's unwavering stance, underscoring that the state simply does not have any water to spare. The prospect of legal action looms large, pending receipt of the Supreme Court's formal order.
Cheema, talking with the media after cabinet meeting, said that once the copy of the SC order is received, the Government will decide whatever legal recourse needs to be taken or if any session of the state assembly needs to be called.
“The monsoon session of the Punjab Assembly will also be called within the next couple of days…The date for convening the session will be announced once the Speaker returns from abroad,” he said.
Beyond the immediate dispute, the SYL canal project raises complex issues surrounding resource allocation, environmental sustainability, and interstate relations
The SYL canal project is rooted in the history of water-sharing agreements between Punjab and Haryana, dating back to 1981. When Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966, it was decided that for the effective allocation of water, the SYL canal would be constructed. Both states were tasked with building their portions of the canal within their territories.
The project, conceived to ensure equitable water distribution from the Ravi and Beas rivers, has become a flashpoint for political and legal wrangling, with Haryana completed its segment of the canal as per the agreement while Punjab, after an initial phase, halted the construction in 1982. In 2002, the Supreme Court decreed in favour of Haryana's suit, ordering Punjab to honour its commitments on water-sharing.
In response, Punjab passed the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act in 2004, terminating the 1981 agreement and other related pacts. The move led to the Supreme Court's rebuke in 2016, with the Court striking down Punjab's law and declaring it unconstitutional. Punjab then returned the land earmarked for the canal to the landowners.
However, the SYL canal dispute didn't end there. The Centre, while acknowledging the failure of talks between the two states, expressed concern that the construction of the canal could lead to law and order problems in Punjab. The matter remained unresolved, and Punjab insisted that it couldn't provide additional water to other states due to the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act of 2004, which set strict limits on water-sharing.
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1966: Formation of Haryana as a separate state from Punjab
1981: Signing of a water-sharing agreement between Punjab, Haryana to allocate water, As per agreement, 214-km SYL canal to be constructed with 122 km in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana
1982: Commencement of SYL Canal construction in Punjab’s Kapoori village
1996: Haryana, after progressing with its portion of the SYL canal and with Punjab halting the construction after initial phase, approached SC seeking Punjab's compliance in completing the canal
2002: SC rules in favour of Haryana's plea, instructing Punjab to fulfill its commitments regarding water-sharing
2004: Punjab Assembly passes a law terminating 1981 agreement and all related pacts concerning Ravi and Beas river water-sharing
2004: SC dismisses Punjab’s original case, directing the Centre to take over the remaining SYL Canal project
2016: SC declares Punjab's 2004 law, which terminated the SYL canal water-sharing agreement with neighboring states, unconstitutional
2017: Punjab denotified and returned land allocated for SYL canal's construction to landowners
2020: SC urges the Centre to mediate discussions between the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana to resolve the SYL Canal dispute amicably
2023: The Centre informs the SC that talks between the two states have failed, citing Punjab's refusal to construct its part of the canal
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Other Cabinet Decisions
Stamp Duty Relief: Three per cent additional Stamp Duty on Property Registration remitted in Urban Areas until December 31, 2023
Regularization of Standalone Buildings: Green signal for a policy to regularize existing standalone buildings — like hotels, multiplexes, farmhouses, industrial institutes and others — constructed outside the municipal limits without prior permission, applicable until December 31, 2023; Cases to be processed within six months
PGST (Amendment) Bill-2023: Approval for introducing amendments to the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act-2017, aligning with GST Council directions like Constitution of GST Appellate Tribunal and State Benches thereof, decriminalization of certain offences, facilitation of small traders to supply goods through e-commerce operators, consent based sharing of information and legal provisions for taxation of online gaming and others
Premature Release Cases: Cabinet approval for the submission of two life convict cases for premature release under constitutional provisions.