In a two-page letter, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar urged Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal to take strict action against the officials who allowed filling of SYL canal. Khattar wrote, “I was in the middle of a meeting in my office when the envelope containing your letter was delivered to me at around 7.30 pm last evening. I briefly halted the ongoing proceedings to open the envelope. I was hoping it to be carrying your gracious acceptance of the telephonic request I had made to you earlier in the day that the Government of Punjab should proactively stop the completely unlawful acts of filling up of the SYL Canal in Punjab territory that had begun after passage of the Punjab Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Property Rights) Bill despite it not having received the assent of the Governor of Punjab. But going through its content, I could not help wondering at its brutal brevity, total thoughtfulness and complete disregard of canons of financial propriety”. [related-post] “Your two line letter on a matter that has serious import on the lives of millions of Haryanvis merely discloses a certain decision of your Council of Ministers and your consequent act of enclosing a cheque. It does not dislcose what exactly was the issue that your Council of Ministers was considering, what information was made available to it or was called by it from the State's bureaucracy or what options were considered and weighed by the Council before the decision was arrived at. Indeed, it does not even disclose the date of the meeting of Council of Ministers”, Khattar wrote raising questions on the manner in which the decision was taken by Punjab Cabinet to bring the Bill to the Vidhan Sabha. “Let me apprise you that such a decision could not have been taken in pursuance of the said bill till it is enacted. And even if it gets enacted someday, since it was not a Money Bill not even a penny could be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab in its pursuance. Further, for over three decades now the SYL has been a Central Project for which the Government of India has already reimbursed to both the States the money spent in the Punjab portion of the SYL. On this score alone the drawing out of any money from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab for payment to us is a gross financial irregularity”, Khattar added. Referring to the cheque sent by Punjab CM, Khattar wrote, “I am, therefore, returning the cheque sent by you with the hope that good sense will prevail and the people of Haryana will be given their due and legitimate share in the Ravi Beas waters through the SYL canal at the earliest”. Khattar, in his letter, also apprised Badal about the development that took place on the SYL issue in Supreme Court. “Before I conclude, let me share with you a development that took place a couple of minutes ago. Upon a reference by us, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has appointed your Chief Secretary and Director General of Police as the Court Receivers of all lands, works and property in the Punjab portion of the SYL. It has also directed them to maintain status quo with regard to these. I hope that you will now put an end to the free run of the hoodlums who have felled thousands of trees, destroyed wildlife, flattened the structures and filled up the SYL canal. I suggest that strict action be initiated against the officers and officials who were mute spectators and silent collaborators in this brazen display of utter lawlessness. I will be delighted to receive a communication that status quo ante as it existed on 14th March, 2016 has been restored in respect of the Punjab portion of the lifeline of Haryana viz. the SYL”, he wrote.
