Bindu Singh
Satluj Yamuna Link canal (SYL) issue has once again emerged strongly and taken on the centre stage of the political turf of Punjab and Haryana.
The issue of water distribution through SYL canal is a long lingering dispute that was taken up to the apex court of the country. The dispute of water sharing cropped up with the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966 when Haryana state was created. Haryana demanded 4.8 MAF out of Punjab’s total share of 7.2 MAF of river waters. Whereas, Punjab claims on the full share of water with the strong plea that it belongs to the parent state. The reference point is Riparian Law that is given voice several times by Punjab Leaders.
After Punjab Assembly Elections as Aam Aadmi Party has formed government with thumping majority of overpouring number of seats with 92 MLAs.
Bhagwant Mann as a Chief Minister with 10 ministers in his cabinet has called two Vidhan Sabha sessions in less than a month’s working as a new government in office.
It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab has called a special one day session of Vidhan Sabha on April 1. The leader of the house moved a resolution with the proposal of transfer of Chandigarh as capital of Punjab which was unanimously passed in house. Denouncing the Punjab claims on Chandigarh, Haryana also called upon special session after 4 days.
It was tit for tat status from Haryana state as chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar moved a resolution on Chandigarh and SYL canal water sharing issue on the floor of the house in Haryana Assembly.
Khattar said that the house had unanimously passed resolution on the water sharing of Beas and Ravi for 7 times in the house. Khattar said the claim is legal, constitutional, historical and in accordance with Reorganisation of Punjab Act 1966. Likewise , the chief minister Haryana put forward the claim of hindi speaking areas to be transferred to Haryana. He said that it seems, no scope left now for sitting with Punjab on SYL issue. It is to mention here that the Supreme court has asked both the states to sit together and come out with the mutual resolve on the issue.
Bhupinder Hooda, former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the house slammed the resolution passed by Punjab saying it is merely a political gimmick. Anyways, the resolution was passed unanimously by all members of the house.
It was on April 8, 1982, when Satluj Yamuna Link construction project was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at village Kapuri, district Patiala. Both the states, Haryana and Punjab were required to construct their portion of SYL canal in their pheriphery. Punjab stopped its side of construction and had to undergo spate of litigations.
With the intention of terminating agreement and pacts of 1981, the Punjab Government came out with Punjab Termination of Agreement Act , it was congress as ruling party at that time. Now its been more than three decades of time, the tug of war on water sharing of Ravi and Beas rivers is still unsolved. The Supreme Court had directed the centre government to intervene and proceed for the mutual settlement of the dispute and also directed authorities of both the states to maintain peace and law and order so that no agitation is called on the issue as the matter is pending in the court.
Aam Aadmi party MLA from Sunam Aman Arora while speaking in the house took on the conventional parties, the Congress and the Akali Dal and said that both the parties have ruled in the state whereas Congress was a ruling party at centre as well but dispute remained unsolved.
Aam Aadmi Party has always been pointing out opposition parties for not having strong political will to solve issues of the state. Now, AAP is the ruling party in Punjab. Interestingly, SYL and Chandigarh were not taken up as the core issues during recent Assembly Elections.
