Daijiworld Media Network – Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Jul 10: In a significant development amid the decades-long water-sharing tussle between Punjab and Haryana, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Centre to leverage the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan to prioritise Punjab’s water needs. His remarks came during a high-level meeting with his Haryana counterpart Nayab Saini in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.
Mann emphasised that the Centre’s recent move following the Pahalgam terror attack to put the Indus Water Treaty on hold presents an opportunity for India to utilise waters from the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — more effectively within its own territory. “Punjab, which is grappling with a severe groundwater crisis, must be given preference when decisions on water usage and diversion are made,” Mann asserted.
He proposed an alternative solution — the Yamuna-Sutlej Link (YSL) — instead of the traditional SYL canal. “If water can be brought from Kashmir through a new canal, we could receive up to 23 million acre-feet (MF) of water, instead of fighting over just 2 MF,” he said, reiterating that both states are “brothers” and the long-standing conflict must come to an end.
The SYL dispute dates back to the 1981 agreement after Haryana’s formation in 1966, which proposed a 214 km canal to facilitate water distribution, with 122 km in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana. However, Punjab later sought to exit the pact through the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act in 2004 — a move challenged and overturned by the Supreme Court.
During the current meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Mann once again made it clear that Punjab has no surplus water to spare. “Most of our blocks are overexploited. The groundwater situation is dire, and sharing even a drop is out of question,” he reiterated, warning that proceeding with SYL could inflame public sentiment and create law and order challenges.
Despite the impasse, both chief ministers agreed on the importance of resolving the matter amicably. “The issue has remained unresolved for far too long,” said Haryana CM Nayab Saini, adding that the discussions were held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The next round of talks is slated for August 5.
In contrast, political reactions back home remained divided. Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda slammed the BJP-led Centre, claiming that despite holding power in both the state and at the Centre, Haryana’s water rights have not been upheld. He called for contempt proceedings to be initiated based on the Supreme Court’s order.
INLD MLA Arjun Chautala also lashed out, accusing CM Mann of politicising the issue. “SYL is not a matter of politics, it’s about Haryana’s lifeline. The central government must act decisively to deliver justice,” he said.
Senior officials from both states, including Union Secretary Debashree Mukherjee and irrigation department heads, were also present at the meeting as all eyes now turn to the next scheduled discussion in early August.