The Punjab Government has finally issued notification to de-notify the land acquired to construct the Satluj-Yamuna link (SYl) canal.
The notification was issued on Wednesday, a day after the Punjab cabinet took the decision to de-notify the land and give the same back to the original owners.
The notification, issued by the State Irrigation Department’s project branch and signed by the state Irrigation Secretary Kahan Singh Pannu, read that the land acquired for the SYl canal project, which is presently vested in the Punjab Government, free from all encumbrances stands denotified with immediate effect and shall forthwith vest in the original land owners or their lineal descendants, or legal representatives free of cost.
The notification was based on the Cabinet decision, taken on November 15, whereas the Council of Ministers hold that the fertile agriculture land in the State of Punjab was compulsorily acquired without the consent of the land owners, under the provisions of the lana Acquisition Act, 1894,
for an ostensible public
purpose, namely the construction of Satluj Yamuna link Canal Project.
“Punjab does not have even a drop of spare water to give to any state…The water table in the state is constantly depleting…Sparing even a drop of water to any other State, under any circumstances, shall be detrimental to the interest of the state of Punjab and its People,” it read.
The notification stated that no public purpose is being served or likely to be served by construction of SYl canal project. “It is expedient and in public interest to rehabilitate the land owners who were divested of their proprietary rights on the land acquired for the SYl Canal Project,” read the notification.
It added, “Now, the Council of Minister decided in public interest that the land acquired for the SYl Canal project, which is presently vested in the Punjab Government, free from all encumbrances stands denotified with immediate effect and shall forthwith vest in the original land owners or their lineal descendants, or legal representatives free of cost.”