Supreme Court: Punjab, Haryana Nearing SYL Canal Dispute Resolution

The Punjab and Haryana governments are moving closer to an amicable resolution of the long-pending Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute between the two States, the Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday.A Bench comprising Chief Justice (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was hearing a 1996 original suit filed by Haryana against Punjab over the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.Taking note of the submission that they two States are now close to resolving their long pending dispute, CJI Kant said,“Once the heart opens, the door also opens."Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V MohanaThe dispute dates back to the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, when Haryana was carved out as a separate State. Haryana sought completion of the canal to receive its share of the Ravi-Beas river waters, while Punjab opposed its construction, maintaining that it does not have surplus water to share.In 1981, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan entered into a water-sharing agreement which provided for completion of the SYL canal within two years. However, construction was halted after violence surrounding the project.In 2002, the Supreme Court had directed Punjab to complete the canal for sharing river waters with Haryana. Punjab subsequently enacted the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, seeking to terminate its obligations under the 1981 agreement.Later in November 2016, the Supreme Court had held that Punjab could not