New Delhi: An all-party delegation led by Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar called on President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to request him to get the Supreme Court’s decision on the Sutlej-Yamana-Link (SYL) canal implemented at the earliest.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, CM Khattar said, “We appealed to the President, he must exercise his power and provide Sutlej-Yamuna-Link canal water to Haryana, to quench state's thirst."
“We are asking for our own share, not everything, and now after SC's verdict we are assured to get what we deserve,” he added.
Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was also part of the delegation, said, “SC has given its verdict about Haryana's share in SYL. Punjab government's acts are questionable and unconstitutional.”
The decades-old issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana came back to the centerstage after a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Dave, recently, held as "unconstitutional" the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 which "unilaterally" terminated the 1981 water-sharing pact with Haryana.
The apex court held that Punjab cannot "unilaterally" terminate the agreement or legislate to "nullify" the verdict of the highest court.
The Punjab government responded by denotifying the land acquired for SYL canal project with immediate effect and return it to its owners free of charge.
Haryana then rushed to the court alleging that Punjab was not honouring the November 10 verdict and the March 17 interim order by which it was directed to maintain status quo on land meant for SYL canal.
