Mann, Saini discuss SYL canal issue

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday discussed the long-pending Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue “in a cordial atmosphere” and decided that the officers of both states will deliberate on this issue and brief them on its progress.

After an hour-long meeting, which was held in a hotel here, both the chief ministers later held a joint media briefing with Mann calling Haryana “Punjab's brother, not an enemy.”

Mann also stated that there should be a resolution to the long-pending issue, though he emphasised, “Kisi ka haq nahi marna chahiye, na hi Punjab ka, na hi Haryana ka' (Rights of neither Punjab, nor of Haryana should be affected).” The SYL canal issue has been a bone of contention between the two states for the past several years. Last May, the Supreme Court directed the two states to cooperate with the Centre for an amicable solution to the decades-old dispute.

The top court recently listed the matter for hearing in April. During the media briefing, Haryana CM Saini said the discussions took place in a very positive atmosphere. And when discussions happen in a good atmosphere, they yield fruitful results, Saini said.

“Today's meeting was held as per the directions of the Supreme Court, “he said. Earlier too, a meeting was held under Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil's chairmanship and talks were held in a positive atmosphere.

“We have decided that in the coming days, our officials will hold meetings and discuss this matter, and whatever issues emerge from those discussions will be brought before both of us (the two CMs), and we will sit down and move forward on them,” said Saini.

Invoking the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, whose timeless verse 'Pawan Guru, Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat', Saini said his teachings guide us.

Mann also said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere over the issue which has been lingering for a very long time.

“As the CM (Saini) saab said that Gurus' bani are guiding us. We are the descendants of Bhai Kanahaiya ji, who gave water even to enemies in the war. Haryana is not our enemy, it is our brother,” he said.

Notably, Bhai Kanahiya, who was a disciple of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, carried a 'mashk' (leather pouch filled with water) on his shoulder in a battle in Anandpur Sahib and served water to the wounded without any discrimination.

Mann said as far as the water issue is concerned, it is going to become the issue of the world in the coming time.

About the discussion in the meeting, Mann said, “I put forth my side, he (Saini) presented his side in the meeting. Now, we do not need to bring papers. We remember it so well. Even when we meet at any function, we talk over this issue only.”

On the outcome of the meeting, the Punjab CM said it has been decided that officers of both the states would hold meetings frequently to discuss this issue.

They will not wait for any date of the honourable Supreme Court, he said, adding that it is possible that officers may hold meetings 3-4 times in a month.

The officers of both states will report to their respective CMs regarding the issue, Mann added.

“After reporting, we (both CMs) may talk over the phone. It is not necessary that we will discuss everything in a meeting,” he said.

Mann recalled that in old times, the methods adopted by the elderly to resolve an issue was to make the two sides sit and talk. “If two houses go for a division, then their elders would hold talks with respective families (to resolve the issue).”

Referring to the decades-old SYL issue, Mann, in a lighter vein, said, “Jhagra to buzurgon ka hi hai. Lekin hum ab nayi generation aye hai, nipat jayega, aur nipat jaey to achha hai' (It is an old issue. Now the new generation is here, it will be resolved and it's for the better if it gets resolved.”

The SC and the Centre had asked us to hold talks over this issue, he said.

Responsibilities which the people of Punjab and Haryana entrusted with us, we also want there should be some solution to this issue, Mann said.

“Both are brothers. They got separated in 1966. Now the water issue is going on,” he said.

In 1966, Haryana was carved out of Punjab as a separate state.

When asked about the construction of the canal by Punjab, Mann sought to emphasise the reassessment of the availability of water as he countered, “What will you release in the canal? Will you release juice in the canal?”

On this occasion, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, Haryana Irrigation Minister Shruti Choudhary, senior officers, including Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Chief Principal Secretary to the Haryana CM, Rajesh Khullar, among others, were also present.

The SYL canal was conceptualised for the effective sharing of water from the Ravi and Beas rivers between the two states. The project envisages a 214-kilometre canal, of which a 122-kilometre stretch was to be constructed in Punjab and the remaining 92 kilometres in Haryana.

Haryana has completed the project in its territory, but Punjab, which launched the work in 1982, shelved it.