SYL canal: Centre mediating, Saini sees early resolution, but Mann says not a drop to share

Indian Express

10-07-2025

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday reiterated that the state has no surplus water for others, demanded its legitimate share in the Indus waters, and again mooted the idea of a Yamuna Sutlej Link (YSL) canal instead of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Participating in a meeting at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi on the SYL canal issue, Mann asserted that a reassessment of the availability of water in the state is needed according to international norms.
The meeting, convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to discuss the SYL Canal issue, was also attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
'The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere with both state leaders expressing their commitment to finding an early resolution to the long-standing water-sharing issue,' the Jal Shakti Ministry said in a statement.
Though no immediate breakthrough was announced, it was agreed that the chief ministers would meet again with the Union minister on August 5 to continue working towards an amicable solution. The move comes amid increasing calls for the Centre to mediate between the states and uphold inter-state water-sharing agreements.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government, in a statement, said that the groundwater situation in Punjab is very grim. It said that the Mann told the meeting that since most of the river resources of the state have dried up, it needs more water to cater to its irrigation needs.
The scant amount of water Punjab has, is being provided to farmers, and in such a scenario, there is no question of sharing even a drop of water with any other state, the chief minister said.
He said the opportunity that has opened up with the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of the state. Efforts should be made to bring water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to meet the growing demand, Mann added.
He pointed out that India's decision to suspend the water treaty with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack opens up the possibility of greater utilisation of water from the western rivers.
Mann went on to stress that Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritised in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters.
New storage dams should be built in the upstream of the Bhakra and Pong Dams in Himachal Pradesh, he said, while highlighting that it would significantly enhance the storage and regulation of western river waters.
'It is the need of the hour that Punjab, which has overexploited its only available natural resources — water and fertile land — to make the country self-reliant in food production, is duly compensated.' The long-conceived Sharda-Yamuna Link project needs to be taken up on priority, and surplus water should be transferred to the Yamuna at a suitable location, Mann said.
He maintained that the additional water, so available, could offset the balance water requirement of Haryana from the Ravi-Beas system, apart from addressing the drinking water requirement of Delhi and the availability of the Yamuna water to Rajasthan.
To cater to Haryana's demands, a Sarda-Yamuna Link canal should be constructed to transfer surplus Sarda water to the Yamuna while the Chenab water can be diverted to Beas through the Rohtang tunnel to eliminate the need for the SYL canal, the Punjab chief minister proposed.
He said that proceedings with respect to the SYL matter may be kept in abeyance till the decision of the Ravi-Beas tribunal is awarded, adding that the 1994 MoU on allocation of Yamuna water between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan will be reviewed after this year.
So, Punjab should be included as a partner state of Yamuna water allocations, and 60 per cent surplus waters of the river should be considered for the state, the chief minister demanded.
He said that instead of the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link (SYL) canal, the project should now be reconceived as the Yamuna-Satluj-Link (YSL) canal, as the Sutlej river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water from it.
Rather, water from the Ganga and Yamuna should be supplied to Punjab through the Sutlej, he added.
Mann highlighted that the SYL canal is an 'emotive issue'. He categorically said that land is not available for the SYL canal.
Out of 34.34 MAF water of the three rivers, Punjab was allocated only 14.22 MAF, while the remaining 60 per cent was allocated to Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan, even though none of these rivers actually flow through these states, the chief minister added.
Meanwhile, Haryana CM Saini expressed confidence that the SYL issue will be resolved soon, asserting that the Punjab government has also sought a solution to the problem.
He said a meaningful discussion took place in the meeting and that Mann 'also acknowledged that this issue should be resolved, as it has remained pending for far too long'.
Saini expressed confidence that a positive outcome will be achieved on this issue. He said that Punjab and Haryana are like brothers, and even today, they share a common space with mutual respect and harmony.
He added that discussions in the next meeting are expected to lead to a better solution and yield positive results.