We've rights over SYL water, will claim it at any cost: Khattar

Chandigarh, Sep 6 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said the state has rights over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water and would claim it at any cost.

A hearing in this matter was held in the Supreme Court in which the Central government informed the court that the Punjab government is not giving any cooperation in the matter.

The apex court directed the Central government to organise a meeting of the Chief Ministers of both Punjab and Haryana and try to amicably resolve the issue.

Responding to the court order, Khattar in a statement to the media clarified that the people of the state have the right over SYL waters and they are going to claim it at any cost.

"The SYL water is very important for Haryana. On one hand, we are not getting this water, while on the other Delhi is demanding more water from us. Now fixing a deadline to resolve this issue at the earliest has become very essential," he said.

The Chief Minister said the completion of the construction work of the SYL canal is long pending and an issue of great concern between Haryana and Punjab.

Due to the non-completion of the SYL canal, surplus, un-channeled water of the Ravi, the Sutlej and the Beas is going to Pakistan.

"On the direction of the Supreme Court to resolve the SYL issue, Union Jal Shakti Minister on August 18, 2020, had called a meeting with the Chief Ministers of both the states but unfortunately Punjab is not taking any further action as per the decision taken in the said meeting," said Chief Minister.

Notably, the Chief Minister through a demi-official letter dated May 6, 2022, had requested the Union Minister of Jal Shakti to convene the second-round meeting of the Chief Ministers of both the states at the earliest to discuss this issue.

Besides, he had also written a demi-official letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting him to organise a meeting of the Chief Ministers of both the states over the issue.

Also Khattar had written three demi-official letters to the Punjab Chief Minister for this meeting, but no response was received from his side, added the statement.

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