INLD to begin “digging” SYL canal from today; Haryana, Punjab Police on toes

Chandigarh: Activists of Haryana's Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) will on Thursday begin their march from Ambala and enter Punjab to “dig” the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday asked both Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and order in light of the proposed march by INLD activists. The apex court, however, asked Punjab to honour its orders on the water link.

The police of the two states have beefed up security arrangements.

Punjab DGP Suresh Arora and his Haryana counterpart KP Singh visited the Shambu village yesterday and took stock of the situation arising out of INLD's plan to dig the SYL canal.

Amid the escalating tension over the sensitive SYL issue, Punjab has deployed 10 companies of paramilitary forces and nearly 5,000 policemen near villages located on its border with Haryana, officials said.

Haryana too has deployed five companies of paramilitary forces, besides police in adequate strength to ensure that the law and order is not disturbed.

With the police of the two states working in tandem to tackle the situation, the roads have been barricaded and walls raised at Shambhu border.

Section 144 of CrPC, prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons, too has been imposed and five duty magistrates have been stationed in the area.

With INLD threatening to march to Punjab today, there is heavy security at the Kapuri-Shambu border which falls in Patiala district.

INLD activists are scheduled to assemble today at the Ambala grain market, 2 km from the Shambu border.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asserted that Punjab "does not have a single drop of water to spare" for any other state as its farmers are facing acute water shortage due to the fast-receding water level in the state.

In the wake of INLD's call to dig the canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Wednesday said the issue of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal should not be politicised.