The SYl Canal issue is gradually assuming explosive proportions with Haryana and Punjab at loggerheads after Punjab Assembly unanimously decided to return the land acquired to the farmers, practically meaning that the canal no longer exists according to Punjab.
Reacting to it, the all-party meeting of the neighbouring state, chaired by Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar lal Khattar here on Saturday unanimously voted a resolution for submission to the Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki on the Sutluj-Yamuna link (SYl) canal saying that the stand of Punjab was not acceptable to it.
The all-party meeting was attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, Agriculture Minister O.P Dhankar, leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, INlD President Ashok Arora, HJC President Kuldeep Bishnoi, SAD President Saranjit Singh Sotha, Independent MlA Jai Prakash and MlA BSP Tek Chand Sharma.
The resolution said that the issue of construction of the Satluj-Yamuna link (SYl) Canal in the Punjab region has been hanging fire for the last four decades.
It said the SYl Canal is the lifeline of Haryana and the farmers of the state have been waiting for several years to get their allocated share of the Ravi-Beas waters through this canal. The irrigation capacity of three lakh hectares developed in the State is not being utilised due to non-completion of the canal, thus causing loss of agricultural produce worth crores of rupees every year.
“Therefore, early completion of the canal is not only in the interest of Haryana, but also in the larger interest of the nation as a whole. It is not in our culture to usurp the share of others. Haryana is neither asking for charity, nor demanding Punjab’s share of water. Haryana only wants a passage to get its allocated share of the Ravi-Beas waters, and this passage is the SYl Canal,” the resolution said. The resolution quoted Supreme Court directions in its judgment on January 15, 2002
“We, therefore, by way of a mandatory injunction, direct the defendant State of Punjab to continue the digging of Sutlej-Yamuna link Canal, portion of which has not been completed as yet and make the canal functional within one year from today. We also direct the Government of India—defendant No 2 to discharge its constitutional obligation in implementation of the aforesaid direction in relation to the digging of canal and if within a period of one year the SYl canal is not completed by the defendant State of Punjab, then the Union Government should get it done through its own agencies as expeditiously as possible so that the huge amount of money already spent and that would yet to be spent, will not be wasted and the plaintiff-State of Haryana would be able to draw the full quantity of water that has already been allotted to it share”.
Punjab had filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its decision, which was dismissed by the apex court on March 5, 2002. Therefore, the verdict delivered on January 15, 2002 is the final decision, the resolution said.
The-then Punjab Government, instead of following the decision of the apex court, got the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. This Act is not only an open insult to both the federal system and democracy but also causes an affront to the dignity of the Constitution.
In 2004, the Punjab Government had annulled all inter-state agreementsrelated to Ravi-Beas. A Presidential reference in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court. The Government had raised this issue at the 27th meeting of the Northern Council held in Delhi on April 25, 2015. We had requested the Central Government that the Solicitor General of India/Attorney General should safeguard the Presidential reference and urge the Supreme Court to take prompt decision in this matter. This is the only matter which has been pending for the last about 11 years.
Supreme Court started hearing this matter on February 29, 2016. Following this, hearing was also held on March 8, 2016. Even as the Supreme Court is seized of the matter, Punjab Government has issued statements in many newspapers stating that it will bring a Bill in the Vidhan Sabha to de-notify the land acquired for the SYl Canal and return it to the farmers, causing another grave injury to the very essence of the federal structure, the resolution said.
The resolution said that now when hearing is being held in the Supreme Court on the Presidential reference after 11 years, the introduction of such Bill by the Punjab Government amounts to gross violation of the dignity of the Constitution and stares federal structure in the eye.
Appealing to the Governor, the resolution said, “you are the guardian of the Constitution. We humbly request you that the Punjab Government be stopped from this unconstitutional and mischievous act of hindering the process of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. We are confident that you will make all possible efforts to stop the passage of any such bill.”