Even as the Supreme Court on Thursday gave a stern message to the State of Punjab stating that its verdict allowing construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYl) canal in Haryana and Punjab “has to be implemented”, the Punjab Government described it as “interim reprieve”.
The State Government’s official press statement maintained that it was a “significant relief” to the State as the Bench “did not issue any further directions” on Haryana’s plea for the execution of its judgement and decree, dated January 15, 2002, regarding the construction of the SYl canal.
“The senior advocates appearing on behalf of the State of Punjab made a strong plea that the opinion of the Supreme Court on the Presidential Reference regarding the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act, 2004, was no doubt relevant and had to be accorded high weightage and respect but it is not binding upon either on the President of India or the parties to the dispute,” stated the spokesperson of the Punjab Government.
Spokesperson added that the opinion of the Supreme Court, therefore, did not operate to strike down the Punjab Act of 2004, which continued to be good law and remained very much alive in the statute book. Voluminous case law comprising Supreme Court judgements was submitted in this regard to the Bench, added the spokesperson.
The press statement read that the state also pleaded that the Centre had taken no decision whatsoever on Punjab's complaint to set up a Water Tribunal, which had been submitted to the Government of India as far back as 2003, in view of the significantly decreased availability of water.
“After hearing the plea of Punjab argued by the senior advocate RS Suri, the Bench adjourned the case and fixed the matter for March 28, 2017, to hear arguments on the preliminary and fundamental issue regarding applicability of the Supreme Court's opinion in the Presidential Reference in relation to the current execution proceedings and whether it was binding on all the parties in the current litigation,” added the spokesperson.
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