Punjab, Haryana CMs Meet to Resolve SYL Canal Row
Punjab, Haryana CMs Meet to Resolve SYL Canal Row
Punjab and Haryana leaders meet in Chandigarh to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal dispute, aiming for a practical path forward amid court directions and central mediation.
Chandigarh hosted a high-stakes meeting as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini sat down with senior officials to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal dispute. The talks began at a hotel here and continued with a focus on bridging a decades-long rift over water sharing. The SYL canal, conceived to divert Ravi and Beas waters, would run 214 kilometres, with a 122-kilometre stretch in Punjab and 92 kilometres in Haryana. Haryana has completed its portion, but Punjab, which started work in 1982, shelved it.
No doubt the matter has been shaping political dialogue for years. The Supreme Court in 2002 ruled in Haryana’s favour and directed Punjab to construct its share, while Punjab contends it has no surplus water and seeks its rightful Indus waters allocation. Central interventions have tried to move the needle; Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil has convened meetings between Mann and Saini to coax a resolution.
During the session, both sides restated positions while senior officers mapped potential pathways forward. One proposal previously floated by Punjab involved drawing water from Chenab as a temporary fix, but such options remain contentious and require consensus. A next hearing date in the Supreme Court is slated for April, underscoring the urgency of a practical, legally tenable settlement.
Observers say the dialogue underscores how central mediation can help bridge state demands, but the outcome hinges on tangible steps and a credible sharing formula. For now, the meeting signals a renewed push toward a negotiated solution, rather than stalemate.
