Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal Dispute between Punjab and Haryana

Satluj Yamuna Link Canal (SARYU) or SYL as it is popularly known, is a proposed 214-kilometer (133 mi) long canal in India to connect the Sutlej and Yamuna Rivers.

• 122 kilometre stretch of it falls under Punjab and the remaining 92 kilometre is in Haryana.
• It starts at Palla village, near Delhi.
• The canal though designed to carry a maximum of 10, 500 cusecs of water, will actually carry 6, 500 cusecs of water from Punjab to Haryana, as per an agreement of water sharing.
• The canal takes off from the tail of Anandpur Sahib Hydel Channel near Lohand Khad, a few miles away from Kiratpur Sahib in Ropar district and enters Haryana near Kapoori village in Patiala district.
• Besides water transfer, the canal will also cater to the irrigation needs of the agriculture based villages of Rupar and Patiala districts.
• Two hydel projects are also planned to generate power.
• Another major advantage is that the canal would make available shipping from India’s east coast to west coast, thus drastically reducing the freight related expenditure.
• The digging began in 1984. A major part of the canal was completed in the Punjab territory in 1990s itself, spending around 750 crores of rupees. Only a small part is left to be completed, which has a story for itself.
• The unattended canal, though, is almost in ruins now, with the brick lining peeling off at places, bushes invading the channel, causing floods and destruction in the rainy season.
• The canal comes under the Bakra- Baes Management Board, BBMB, constituted under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which is a central legislation, (like the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation act, creating Telangana).

The dispute began after Punjab was reorganised on October 31 1966, and the state of Haryana was created.

While most resources were divided at that time, the sharing of river water was left for decision to a later date. In 1976 the Centre issued a notification stating that both the states will receive 3.5 million acre feet of water each.

 In 1978 Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD)Govt. passed this bill under notification no.113/5/syl (as per the tribune )by deal of 3 crores Owing to Punjab's inaction in 1979 Haryana approached the Supreme Court to implement this allocation.

After 1990's on spread on Punjab's militancy the construction was halted. In January 2002 the Supreme Court directed the Punjab Government to continue digging the project.

 Punjab sought to be discharged from this obligation in 2003. In 2004 the Punjab State Legislature passed the "Punjab Termination of Agreement Act 2004", to denotify the land.

A Presidential Reference to the Supreme Court of India(SCI)with regard to the same was made in 2004 and in 2016 March the Supreme Court has taken up the same for hearing.

On 21st March 2016, the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab SYL Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill 2016, seeking to return land acquired for the canal’s construction to the original owners free of cost.

Punjab has categorically rejected to execute the project saying that it does not have even a drop of water to share with Haryana. So it has passed Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Property Rights) Bill, 2016 to return all of the land acquired for Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal project. Without waiting for the bill to get governor’s assent, the local politicians have encouraged farmers to begin filling up the canal with mud
http://www.gktoday.in/blog/sutlej-yamuna-link-syl-canal-issue/

Punjab has categorically rejected to execute the project saying that it does not have even a drop of water to share with Haryana. So it has passed Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Property Rights) Bill, 2016 to return all of the land acquired for Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal project. Without waiting for the bill to get governor’s assent, the local politicians have encouraged farmers to begin filling up the canal with mud
http://www.gktoday.in/blog/sutlej-yamuna-link-syl-canal-issue/

 Supreme court of India(SCI)has ordered to pass the Bill

The Canal is 85% complete with Haryana government completing its part of the Canal. It has completed 92 km of canal in its land.Haryana would benefit enormously by gaining water from Ravi-Beas from the upper riparian state.