Water war: Punjab defies Supreme Court, says won't allow SYL canal to be built

Chandigarh: The row between Punjab and Haryana over the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal intensified on Friday with the former announcing to defy the Supreme Court's order on maintaining status quo on the issue.

The state's Legislative Assembly today passed a unanimous resolution categorically stating that the SYL canal cannot be allowed to be constructed at any cost.

The resolution says the state won't abide by any order that is not in its interest.

The resolution stated that there is no need for the SYL canal as Punjab has no water to share with any state.

Harcharan Bains, advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, told reporters that the Assembly has passed a resolution unanimously that “circumstances be what they are, SYL canal cannot be built”.

“SYL canal cannot be allowed to be built in defiance of the rights of the state over its river waters,” Bains stated.

The development came a day after the apex court ordered status quo on the SYL canal.

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Anil R Dave said: "Prima facie, it appears that an effort has been made to see that the execution of a decree of this court is being made inexecutable and this court cannot be a silent spectator of the said fact and therefore, we direct that status quo shall be maintained by the parties...

"In the circumstances, the Secretary, Home Department, Union of India, (ii) The Chief Secretary, State of Punjab and (iii) The Director General of Police, State of Punjab, are appointed as court receivers... and all the properties... shall be deemed to have vested in them and they shall also see that status quo is maintained with regard to the properties...

The court order affects the transfer of 3,928 acres of land along the 122-km stretch of the SYL canal in Punjab to the farmers from whom it was acquired for the construction of the water channel for transporting 3.5 million acre feet of water to Haryana.

The SC order came on an application by Haryana seeking appointment of the central government as the court receiver of the land, works, property and portion of the SYL canal in Punjab.

Following the transfer of land, incidents of filling of mud in the already-built canal channel have been reported.

The Punjab government earlier this week returned Rs 191.75 crore received for the construction of SYL canal to the Haryana government.