Haryana moves SC against Punjab

R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, November 17

The Haryana Government today approached the Supreme Court for stalling Punjab’s move to obstruct construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal meant for carrying the Ravi and Beas waters. A Bench headed by Justice Anil R Dave accepted Haryana’s plea for an urgent hearing and listed the matter for November 21. 

Appearing for Haryana, senior advocate Jagdeep Dhankar said the dispute over sharing the Ravi-Beas waters had become an explosive issue in the wake of the steps being taken by Punjab in the past few days to frustrate the apex court’s rulings.  

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“We have given our opinion on the Presidential Reference. But states are fighting with each other. Something has to be done,” the Bench said.

Giving its opinion on the 2004 Presidential Reference, the SC had ruled on November 10 that the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, was in violation of the Constitution, the Inter-State Water Disputes Act: 1956 and the Punjab Reorganisation Act: 1966, besides being against two apex court judgments delivered on January 15, 2002, and June 4, 2004. 

The opinion was given by a Constitution Bench on the reference made by the then Manmohan Singh government at the Centre through President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Punjab has denotified 5,000 acres acquired for the SYL canal while the Assembly adopted a resolution to stall canal works and demanded charges for the riverwaters.