New Delhi, December 16
The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and the Punjab Government on an application by Haryana alleging that both had failed to discharge their constitutional duties and obligation in completing the Rs 700 crore Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal as per the apex court’s orders.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice G.B. Pattanaik and Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued the notices as the Haryana Government stated that the Supreme Court had directed both the Punjab Government and the Centre to complete the incomplete portion
of the SYL canal by January 14, 2003.
The apex court on January 15 last year had given one year time to Punjab to complete the portion of the SYL canal, which remained incomplete and observed that in case the State of Punjab failed to do so, the Union Government must see to it that it was completed.
“Nothing whatsoever has been done by the State of Punjab to either continue or complete the incomplete portion of the SYL canal in the Punjab territory,” the Haryana Government said.
It also charged the Union Government of having failed to discharge its constitutional obligation in implementing the directions of the apex court despite repeated reminders.
Haryana said the Central Ministry of Water Resources had taken up the matter with the Punjab Government but the latter was “taking shelter behind some alleged review petition ostensibly filed by some farmers of Punjab in the apex court.”
PTI
