Punjab Vs Haryana Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal – Free PDF Download

• Before the reorganisation, in 1955, out of 85 MAF of Ravi and Beas, the Centre had allocated
• 8 MAF to Rajasthan, 7.20 MAF to undivided Punjab, 0.65MAF to Jammu and Kashmir.

History of SYL canal

• The state of Haryana was created from Punjab in 1966.
• This led to the problem of giving Haryana its share of river waters.
• GOI issued a notification on March 24, 1976 and Haryana was allocated5 MAF of waters.
• The total length of the canal was proposed to be 212 km. of which 122 km. in Punjab & 90 km. in Haryana.
• Haryana completed the work in June 1980.
• However, Punjab did not start the work.

• In 1981 agreement was entered among Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to re-allocate the waters of Ravi and Beas.
• To enable Haryana to use its share of waters, Union Government started Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal Project in 1982.
• This project was the product of 1981 agreement.

Rajiv-Longowal accord

• After laying the foundation, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) launched an agitation against the canal under the leadership of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal.
• In August 1982, the agitation was converted into a “Dharam Yudh (holy war)”.
• The agitation took a violent turn, plunging the state into chaos.
• On July 24, 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Longowal signed the Punjab accord in New Delhi.
• The agreement called for completion of the canal by August 1986.
• The SS Barnala-led SAD government started the work and 90% of it was completed.

But again construction stopped

• The construction work stopped when Sikh militants gunned down two senior engineers and 35 labourers working on the canal.
• A decision was taken to rope in the Border Roads Organisation, but again nothing moved
• In 1996, Haryana filed a plea in the Supreme Court, seeking directions for Punjab to complete the canal.

The Punjab Termination of Agreements Act,2004

• Supreme Court in January 2002 and June 2004, ordered the remaining portion of the canal to be completed.
• In response to SC order, Punjab Assembly passed The Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, cancelling its water-sharing agreements.

SC scrapping the act

• In March 2016 SC took up the matter.
• Meanwhile the Punjab legislature passed another act, the Punjab Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill 2016,which seeks to restore the land acquired for the canal, back to the farmers free of cost.
• Even though the Governor did not give assent to the bill.
• After that SC scrapped the 2004 act and asked to maintain the status quo.

Why has the SYL canal come up again now?

• The issue is back on centrestage after the Supreme Court directed the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana on July 28 to negotiate and settle the SYL canal issue.
• The apex court asked for a meeting at the highest political level to be mediated by the Centre so that states reach a consensus over the completion of SYL canal.
• Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat organised the meeting between both the chief ministers on Tuesday.
• The meeting remained inconclusive with Shekhawat expressing the view that the construction of the SYL canal should be completed.
• But Amarinder refused categorically.
• Now, another meeting will be held soon to take up the issue.

What is the concern Punjab CM is raising?

• Punjab feels it utilised its precious groundwater resources to grow crop for the entire country and should not be forced to share its waters as it faces desertification.
• It is feared that once the construction of the canal restarts, the youth may start feeling that the state has been discriminated against.
• The chief minister fears Pakistan and secessionist organisations like Sikh For Justice could exploit this and foment trouble in the state.

Punjab wants a new tribunal

• The state wants a tribunal seeking a fresh time-bound assessment of the water availability.
• The BBMB had reported that availability of Ravi-Beas water had come down from the estimated 17 MAF in 1981 to 13.38 MAF in 2013.
• A fresh Tribunal could ascertain all this, Punjab believes.

Way forward

• There seems to be distrust and short-sightedness behind the competitive politics over the SYL canal.
• Both States have serious water issues such as sinking water table due to over exploitation, pollution of water resources etc.
• Hence there is a need to move away from unsustainable and water-intensive cropping pattern.
• At the same time Punjab can’t unilaterally cancel the agreement and hence must cooperate with Haryana as it was part of Punjab.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding inter-state water dispute-

1. Article 262 of the constitution empowers the state legislatures to make laws for the adjudication of inter-state water dispute.
2. The Inter-State Water Disputes Act 1956 was enacted to deal with inter-state water disputes.
3. The members of tribunal are appointed by the President of India.

Which of the statement given above is / are correct.

1.  1 & 2 only
2.  2 & 3 only
3.  2 only
4.  All of the above

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