Khattar hits back at Capt, says nobody can stop Haryana’s water share through SYL

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26

The war of words between Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar over the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) issue escalated today with latter asserting that “nobody can stop” Haryana’s share of Ravi-Beas water through SYL canal.

“I do not know whether he (Capt Amarinder Singh) will give up his life rather than share Punjab’s water with Haryana, but one thing is clear that nobody can stop Haryana’s  rightful share from Punjab water through the  SYL canal as the Supreme Court had already given its order on Haryana’s share from inter-state waters,” Khattar stated.

Claiming that it was not in Punjab’s hands to decide on Haryana’s share of waters, Khattar asserted that the Supreme Court would soon decide on an institutional mechanism to implement its order on sharing of waters between Punjab and Haryana. “Whether certain central agency will construct the SYL canal or some other mechanism would be devised to carry water to Haryana from Punjab will be decided by the apex court,” the chief minister asserted.

Earlier, apparently referring to Haryana’s demand for water through the SYL canal, Capt Amarinder Singh asserted in the Punjab Assembly that he was ready to give up his life rather than give state’s scare water resources  to the other states.

During his address to the Haryana Assembly, Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on February 20 reiterated state’s commitment to bring water through SYL canal from Punjab to Haryana.

A controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement between Punjab and Haryana wanted the construction of the SYL canal by both state in their respective jurisdictions.