New Delhi, January 22
With the Centre discussing steps for the construction of the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today met Mr Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, demanding a fresh look at the distribution of river waters between his state and Haryana.
Today’s meeting comes two days ahead of the meeting of senior officials of Punjab and Haryana, convened by the Centre to discuss the SYL issue.
Sources said the PMO had already conveyed to Punjab that the Centre had to take up the construction of the unfinished portion of the SYL in accordance with Supreme Court directives. The apex court’s deadline to Punjab for completing the SYL construction in the state expired on January 15. The ruling said it was for the Centre to get the work on SYL done through its agencies in case the Punjab Government failed to do so.
Sources said at the meeting Capt Amarinder Singh stood by his earlier position of opening up the whole issue afresh. The Amarinder government wants a fresh review of the amount of river waters which it says had come down drastically since the first apportionment was made.
Punjab maintains that it has no surplus water and if it parts with Haryana’s projected water share of water, six districts of Punjab will face water scarcity.
Other political parties of Punjab, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), have been extending covert support to the state government over the issue. The SAD (B) has also threatened an agitation in case the Centre attempted to build the canal.
Haryana has urged the Centre to take up the construction immediately as the Supreme Court deadline expired last week. Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on January 14. A delegation of the Haryana Congress led by former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal also met the Prime Minister next day seeking a time-bound completion of the canal.
Punjab Government officials here maintained that the Chief Minister had met Mr Mishra primarily for seeking an industrial package for the state.
