Accusing Punjab of inaction on Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Saturday, said the Centre should play a pivotal role in resolving the issue.
Speaking at the 30th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, chaired by Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah at Jaipur, Khattar said the completion of the construction work of the SYL is a long pending issue between Haryana and Punjab.
He said due to the non-completion of the SYL canal, surplus water of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas goes to Pakistan.
The CM pointed out that Haryana has been allotted a 3.50 million acre-feet share in the surplus water of Ravi-Beas as per the order of the Union government dated 24 March, 1976.
He complained that Punjab was not taking further action on the decision taken in the meeting of the Union Jal Shakti Minister with the CMs of both the states on 18 August, 2020 on the direction of the Supreme Court to resolve the issue.
Khattar said he had requested the Union Minister of Jal Shakti through a semi-official letter dated 6 May, 2022 to convene for a second-round meeting of the CMs of the two states at the earliest to discuss the issue. This apart, he had written a semi-official letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting him to organise a meeting of the two CMs.
The Haryana CM said earlier, he had also written three such letters to the Punjab CMs for a meeting, but no response was received. He said the water is very important for Haryana. “On the one hand, we are not getting water, while on the other, Delhi is demanding more water from us,” he lamented.
In the meeting, Khattar also complained of getting 700-1,000 cusecs less water even from the Bhakra main line (BML) canal. On the issue, a committee consisting of chief engineers and officers of BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) from the participating states has also found Haryana has been given less water at the BML contact point.
Highlighting the issue of appointment of members in BBMB, the CM said the previous tradition of nominating Member (Irrigation) from Haryana should be continued on similar lines of the nomination of member (power) in BBMB from Punjab.
Khattar said the share of Haryana in Panjab University should be restored and the colleges of Haryana adjoining Chandigarh should also be affiliated with this University.