SYL canal : Govt mulls legislative route to react to SC order, reiterates not a drop to share

Soon after the Cabinet meeting, Mann wrote on X, “The SYL issue was discussed…Not even a single drop of additional water will be shared with any other state at any cost…Convening the monsoon session (of the state Assembly) soon was also discussed. Approval to several pro-people decisions was given”.

Later, an official statement said that the Council of Minister opined that the state has no spare water to share with any other state so there is no question of construction of the SYL canal. “It (cabinet) firmly said that Sutlej river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water from it. Punjab has no surplus water to share with Haryana and reassessment of availability of water is required as per international norms,” it said.

The statement further said: It was also observed that Punjab’s 76.5 per cent blocks (117 out of 153) are over exploited where the stage of groundwater extraction is more than 100 per cent, whereas in Haryana only 61.5 per cent blocks (88 out of 143) are over exploited.

Later, speaking to reporters, Finance Minister Cheema said the state government’s stand is clear.

“When we do not have water to spare then how can we give it to anyone,” said Cheema, adding once the copy of the SC order is received, the government will decide whatever legal recourse needs to be taken or if any session of the state assembly needs to be called.

The monsoon session of the Punjab Assembly will also be called within the next couple of days, the minister said, adding that the date for convening the session will be announced once the Speaker returns from abroad.

A senior government official, familiar with the development, said, “The SC has asked the Centre to conduct a survey of the constructed part of SYL and we are fine with it. Let the Centre carry out the survey. They can go to the fields and wade through the forests. Many acres were reclaimed by the farmers when the government denotified the land. Many acres have forest”.

The official added, “As far as the survey regarding the availability of water is concerned…we are waiting for the SC order. Punjab has always demanded a tribunal to assess the availability of water afresh. Let them also assess that”.

The government is contemplating calling a regular session as it has not got the budget session prorogued by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. “The Governor does not easily allow a special session to be called. The government will have to summon a regular session. Hence, we will call the monsoon session,” said the official.

The 214-km SYL canal — 122 km in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana — was conceptualised for effective allocation of water from the Ravi and Beas rivers. Haryana has completed the project in its territory but Punjab, which launched the construction work in 1982, shelved it subsequently.

Other Cabinet decisions

The Cabinet gave its nod for sending the cases of two life convicts for seeking their premature release. These special remission cases will be submitted to the Governor for consideration.

It also gave its nod to remit three per cent additional stamp duty levied on property registration in urban areas up to December 31, 2023.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal for introduction of the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill-2023 to make certain amendments in the 2017 Act in consonance with directions of GST Council.

It gave green signal to a policy for regularising existing standalone buildings such as hotels, multiplexes, farmhouses, industrial institutes and others, constructed without permission of the concerned department outside the municipal limits, urban estates and industrial focal points.