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Journalism of Courage
The Punjab government today decided to challenge the Supreme Court’s decision on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal and urged the Centre to set up a new tribunal to adjudicate afresh the sharing and distribution of Ravi-Beas waters.
After a special Cabinet meeting called after the apex court’s decision ordering the Centre to take up the construction of Punjab’s portion of the SYL canal, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said ‘‘the Cabinet adopted a resolution asking the Centre not to publish the interim report of the Eradi Tribunal of January 31, 1987’’.
Singh said he was not questioning the tribunal’s integrity, but the new tribunal should consider the quantum of water currently available with Punjab and not historic aspects as considered by the previous tribunal.
He said the state government’s legal team would file an application in the Supreme Court this evening, challenging the apex court judgment.
Singh said: ‘‘There are plenty of legal remedies left in the SYL case. It is a disappointing judgment for Punjab. We believe various aspects of the case should have been covered by the court before delivering the verdict.’’ He added that ‘‘if we don’t succeed, the Punjab government would file a review petition and later curative petitions’’.
Singh said the Cabinet also resolved that PM Manmohan Singh’s intervention may be solicited for fair adjudication of matters relating to the sharing and distribution of Ravi-Beas waters and construction of the canal. ‘‘An all-party meet will be convened to elicit the support of political opinion of all shades for this cause,’’ he said.
Reacting to Singh’s suggestion, Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala today rejected the idea, and announced he would soon convene an all-party meeting for early completion of the SYL canal.
‘‘Amarinder is misleading people by raising such issues, which have no relevance with the apex court’s verdict,’’ Chautala said, adding the Centre would have to implement the SC order asking it to construct the part of the canal that passed through Punjab. He said he would call an all-party meeting to press for early completion of the canal and get a resolution passed unanimously in the ensuing Assembly session.
