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Hindustan Times
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SYL dispute: Punjab CM bats for Yamuna-Sutlej link as 5th round of talks ends in deadlock
The fifth round of talks between the Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday to resolve the decades-old Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute remained inconclusive. Union jal shakti minister CR Patil with Punjab and Haryana CMs Bhagwant Mann and Nayab Singh Saini in New Delhi. (HT photo) The crucial meeting, held in New Delhi between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini and Union jal shakti minister CR Patil, came ahead of the Supreme Court hearing in the matter on August 13. Batting for Yamuna-Sutlej Link (YSL) canal, Mann said the central government must shelve the SYL canal. 'Punjab should get Yamuna water too. For this, the long-conceived Sarda-Yamuna Link project needs to be taken up on priority. The Centre must ensure diversion of Chenab water to Beas river to eliminate the need for the SYL canal,' he said. The May 12, 1994 memorandum of understanding for allocation of Yamuna waters between Delhi, UP, HP and Rajasthan is to be reviewed after 2025, Mann said. 'Punjab should be included as a partner state of Yamuna waters allocations,' he suggested. Mann said Haryana has enough scope to get additional waters from other sources which also needs to be accounted for, adding that the neighbouring state is receiving 2.703 million acre foot (MAF) from Ghaggar, Tangri, Markanda, Saraswati, Chautang-Rakshi, Nai Nalah, Sahibi, Krishna Duhan and Landoha Nalah. The Punjab CM said that land for the SYL canal is not available as of today. 'Also, out of 34.34 MAF water of three rivers, Punjab was allocated only 14.22 MAF, which is 40%. 'The remaining 60% water was allocated to Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, even though none of these rivers actually flow through these states,' he said. While Saini at a post-meeting briefing said Haryana will present its case in a solution-oriented manner before the apex court on August 13, Mann reiterated that the central government should divert the water of Chenab river to Ranjit Sagar, Pong and Bhakra dams so that it can be utilised to resolve long-pending water dispute between the two states. 'Using Chenab water will reduce Punjab's dependence on groundwater and revive surface irrigation supporting the peasantry,' said Mann, restating Punjab's stance that it was facing severe groundwater depletion. The Punjab CM said during the July 9 meeting, the central government had informed that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan had been suspended. The development has created an opportunity for India to utilise water from Chenab, Mann said. Saini, on the other hand, said the Indus Waters Treaty was a separate subject and in this context Rajasthan will also be entitled to its share of water. 'We are confident that a fair and favourable resolution will be achieved. The last round of talks had already indicated a positive shift. This time, we have moved a step further. The discussions were held in an even more constructive environment,' the Haryana CM said. The SC on May 6 had directed the two states to cooperate with the central government in arriving at an amicable solution to the dispute. 'In case the issue is not resolved amicably between the parties, we propose to take up the matter on August 13, 2025,' the apex court had said. Haryana government is pressing for the implementation of apex court's orders to complete the remaining portion of the canal by Punjab. The top court in its January 15, 2002 and June 4, 2004 judgments had ordered completion of the remaining portion of canal in Punjab territory. Conceived in 1978 to bring Haryana's share of Ravi-Beas water, the proposed 212-kilometre long SYL canal consisted of two segments, a 91-kilometre channel in Haryana and a 121 kilometre carrier channel in Punjab. Haryana completed its portion of the channel in 1979 at a cost of ₹56 crore, but Punjab has failed to complete the canal in its territory despite Supreme Court directions.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mann meets Saini, wants YSL instead of SYL
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday struck divergent notes on the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. While the former said Punjab did not have spare water to share with any other state, Saini expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved soon, asserting the Punjab government also seeks a solution to the problem. Mann meets Saini, wants YSL instead of SYL Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil convened a meeting with the two chief ministers in a bid to resolve the decades-old SYL canal dispute. On May 6, the Supreme Court had directed the two states to cooperate with the Centre in arriving at an amicable solution. According to a statement from Mann's office, the chief minister in the meeting mooted the idea of a Yamuna-Sutlej Link (YSL) canal instead of the SYL 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, Mann said. 'The long-conceived project of Sarda-Yamuna Link needs to be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to river Yamuna at a suitable location…,' he said. The AAP leader said SYL canal is an 'emotive issue' for Punjab and added that land is not available for the project. He also 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, he added. The Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan governing the use of the Indus river system, was suspended by India following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Haryana CM Saini said a meaningful discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere in the meeting, adding that it was decided that the next meeting will take place on August 5. He further said that Mann also acknowledged that this issue should be resolved, as it has remained pending for far too long. Conceived in 1978 to bring Haryana's share of Ravi-Beas water, the proposed 212-kilometre-long SYL canal consisted of two segments, a 91-kilometre channel in Haryana and a 121-kilometre carrier channel in Punjab. Haryana completed its portion of the channel in 1979, but Punjab has failed to complete the canal in its territory despite Supreme Court directions.
