CHANDIGARH, MARCH 12The all-party meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal here today unanimously voted a resolution for submission to the Punjab Governor Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue.
The all-party meeting was attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, Agriculture Minister Mr O.P Dhankar, Leader of Opposition Mr Abhay Singh Chautala, INLD President Mr Ashok Arora, HJC President Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, SAD President Mr Saranjit Singh Sotha, Independent MLA Mr Jai Prakash and MLA BSP Mr Tek Chand Sharma.
Here goes the text of the memorandum :
"Hon’ble Governor, the issue of construction of the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal in the Punjab region has been hanging fire for the last four decades. The SYL Canal is the lifeline of Haryana. The farmers of Haryana have been waiting for several years to get their allocated share of the Ravi-Beas waters through this canal. The irrigation capacity of three lakh hectares developed in the State is not being utilised due to non-completion of the canal, thus causing loss of agricultural produce worth crores of rupees every year.Therefore, early completion of the canal is not only in the interest of Haryana, but also in the larger interest of the nation as a whole. It is not in our culture to usurp the share of others. Haryana is neither asking for charity, nor demanding Punjab’s share of water. Haryana only wants a passage to get its allocated share of the Ravi-Beas waters, and this passage is the SYL Canal.
While conceding the claims of Haryana regarding the construction of SYL Canal, the Hon’ble Supreme Court had delivered the following directions in its judgment on January 15, 2002 :
"We, therefore, by way of a mandatory injunction, direct the defendant State of Punjab to continue the digging of Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, portion of which has not been completed as yet and make the canal functional within one year from today. We also direct the Government of India--defendant No.2 to discharge its constitutional obligation in implementation of the aforesaid direction in relation to the digging of canal and if within a period of one year the SYL canal is not completed by the defendant State of Punjab, then the Union Government should get it done through its own agencies as expeditiously as possible so that the huge amount of money already spent and that would yet to be spent, will not be wasted and the plaintiff-State of Haryana would be able to draw the full quantity of water that has already been allotted to it share".
Punjab had filed a review petition in the Hon'ble Supreme Court against its decision, which was dismissed by the apex court on March 5, 2002. Therefore, the verdict delivered on January 15, 2002 is the final decision.
The-then Punjab Government, instead of following the decision of the apex court, got the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. This Act is not only an open insult to both the federal system and democracy but also causes an affront to the dignity of the Constitution.In 2004, the Punjab Government had annulled all inter-state agreements related to Ravi-Beas. A Presidential reference in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court. The government had raised this issue at the 27th meeting of the Northern Council held in Delhi on April 25, 2015. We had requested the Central Government that the Solicitor General of India/Attorney General should safeguard the Presidential reference and urge the Supreme Court to take prompt decision in this matter. This is the only matter which has been pending for the last about 11 years.
Accepting our request, the Hon’ble Supreme Court started hearing on this matter on February 29, 2016. Following this, hearing was also held on March 8, 2016. Even as the Supreme Court is seized of the matter, the Punjab Government has issued statements in many newspapers stating that it will bring a Bill in the Vidhan Sabha to de-notify the land acquired for the SYL Canal and return it to the farmers, causing another grave injury to the very essence of the federal structure.
Hon’ble Governor, now when hearing is being held in the Hon’ble Supreme Court on the Presidential reference after 11 years, the introduction of such Bill by the Punjab Government amounts to gross violation of the dignity of the Constitution and stares federal structure in the eye.
Hon’ble Governor, you are the guardian of the Constitution. We humbly request you that the Punjab Government be stopped from this unconstitutional and mischievous act of hindering the process of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. We are confident that you will make all possible efforts to stop the passage of any such bill."
==balbirsingh227
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