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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ravi and Beas tribunal gets another extension
File photo NEW DELHI: The Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal, India's oldest water dispute tribunal that was constituted to adjudicate the water-sharing issue among Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, has got an extension of another year with effect from Aug 5, having failed to resolve the matter in more than 39 years. The Ravi and Beas tribunal, set up in April 1986, is one of the five active tribunals in the country that continue to get extensions year after year. The official notification for the purpose, made public on Friday, said that the Union govt considered it necessary to grant the tribunal a one-year extension keeping in view the exigencies of the work involved, as pointed out by the tribunal. Though the tribunal had forwarded its report in 1987, the states concerned sought clarification on certain points under the provisions of Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956. The matter has been sub judice before the tribunal since then. The tribunal's final report would be vital to an amicable resolution of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue between Punjab and Haryana, as the canal dispute relates to sharing of Ravi and Beas river waters between the two states. Besides the Ravi and Beas tribunal, four other tribunals have worked under extended timelines: Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal, constituted in Nov 2010 to adjudicate the dispute over river water sharing among Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka; Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, the second oldest in India that was constituted in April 2004 to adjudicate water-sharing disputes among Maharashtra, Karnataka and erstwhile Andhra Pradesh; Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, constituted in Feb 2010; and the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, set up in Mar 2018, to adjudicate water-sharing disputes between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SYL dispute: Logjam persists, fifth round of talks on August 5
The fourth round of talks between the Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments on Wednesday to resolve the decades-old Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute failed to break the logjam. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann during a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. (HT Photo) A meeting between Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini was called by Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil at the national capital. It was agreed that the chief ministers would meet again with the Union minister in early August to continue working towards an amicable solution. The move comes amid increasing calls for the Centre to mediate between the states and uphold inter-state water-sharing agreements. The Supreme Court on May 6 had directed the two states to cooperate with the central government in arriving at an amicable solution. 'In case the issue is not resolved amicably between the parties, we propose to take up the matter on August 13, 2025,' the apex court had said. At the New Delhi meeting, both Mann and Saini struck divergent notes after holding deliberations on the completion of SYL canal. While Mann said Punjab did not have spare water to share with any other state, reiterating a review of water availability and non-availability of land for SYL canal, Saini sounded optimistic stating that a meaningful dialogue was held with Mann on the contentious issue. Mann said that SYL canal being an emotive issue for Punjab will lead to serious law and order problems having national and regional ramifications with Haryana and Rajasthan also bearing the brunt. Saini, on his part, maintained that the Punjab CM acknowledged that the SYL canal issue should be resolved, being pending for far too long. Saini also expressed confidence that a positive outcome will be achieved on this issue in the August 5 meeting. Mann said out of 34.34 MAF (million acre feet) water of three rivers ( Ravi, Beas & Sutlej), Punjab was allocated only 14.22 MAF, which is 40%. 'The remaining 60% is allocated to Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan even though none of these rivers actually flow through these states,' Mann said. 'Haryana is already getting 1.62 MAF Ravi-Beas and 4.33 MAF Sutlej water which makes 5.95 MAF from these three rivers of Punjab. Besides, Haryana gets additional 4.65 MAF Yamuna waters and 1.62 MAF Sarda water by Sarda Yamuna Link,'' Mann said. He demanded that Punjab should be included as a partner state for Yamuna waters allocation and 60% surplus Yamuna water should be considered for Punjab. The Punjab CM also suggested that the situation emerging after the suspension of Indus Waters Treaty should be taken advantage of to fulfil the water needs of Punjab by channelising water from the western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, Chenab within Indian territory and new storage dams upstream of Bhakra and Pong Dams in Himachal Pradesh should be constructed. The Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan governing the use of Indus river system, which included three western rivers (the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) and three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) was suspended by India in April this year following a terror attack in Pahalgam, allegedly at the behest of Pakistan. Mann also said that Punjab was facing groundwater depletion and must get priority in future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters. 'If we get 23 million acre feet (MAF) from Chenab, the whole dispute will be resolved forever,' the Punjab CM said. 'The long-conceived project of Sarda-Yamuna Link needs to be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to river Yamuna at a suitable location. Additional water available could offset the balance water requirement of the state of Haryana from the Ravi-Beas system apart from addressing the ever-growing drinking water requirement of Delhi and availability of the Yamuna water to Rajasthan,'' Mann said. Haryana government is pressing for the implementation of Supreme Court's (SC) orders to complete the remaining portion of the canal by Punjab. The apex court in its January 15, 2002 and June 4, 2004 judgments had ordered completion of the remaining portion of canal in Punjab territory. Conceived in 1978 to bring Haryana's share of Ravi-Beas water, the proposed 212-kilometre long SYL canal consisted of two segments, a 91-kilometre channel in Haryana and a 121 kilometre carrier channel in Punjab. Haryana completed its portion of the channel in 1979 at a cost of ₹56 crore, but Punjab has failed to complete the canal in its territory despite Supreme Court directions.
NDTV
10-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Dispute To Resolved Soon: Haryana Chief Minister
New Delhi: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has expressed confidence that the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) issue will be resolved soon, asserting that the Punjab government has also sought a solution to the problem. Mr Saini made the remarks after attending a high-level meeting here on the SYL issue convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil on Wednesday. The chief minister said a meaningful discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere in the meeting which was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. It was decided that the next meeting will take place on August 5, a state government release said. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chief Minister Saini said meaningful discussions were held in the meeting. He said the chief minister of Punjab also acknowledged that this issue should be resolved as it has remained pending for far too long. Mr Saini expressed confidence that a positive outcome will be achieved on this issue. He said that Punjab and Haryana are like brothers, and even today, they share a common space with mutual respect and harmony. He added that discussions in the next meeting are expected to lead to a better solution and yield positive results. The meeting was also attended by Union Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Irrigation and Water Resources Department Anurag Aggarwal, along with several senior officials from the Irrigation Department were present in the meeting.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mann meets Saini, wants YSL instead of SYL
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday struck divergent notes on the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. While the former said Punjab did not have spare water to share with any other state, Saini expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved soon, asserting the Punjab government also seeks a solution to the problem. Mann meets Saini, wants YSL instead of SYL Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil convened a meeting with the two chief ministers in a bid to resolve the decades-old SYL canal dispute. On May 6, the Supreme Court had directed the two states to cooperate with the Centre in arriving at an amicable solution. According to a statement from Mann's office, the chief minister in the meeting mooted the idea of a Yamuna-Sutlej Link (YSL) canal instead of the SYL canal as the Sutlej river has already dried up and there is no question of sharing even a single drop of water from it. Rather, water from the Ganga and Yamuna should be supplied to Punjab through the Sutlej, Mann said. 'The long-conceived project of Sarda-Yamuna Link needs to be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to river Yamuna at a suitable location…,' he said. The AAP leader said SYL canal is an 'emotive issue' for Punjab and added that land is not available for the project. He also said the opportunity that has opened up with the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of the state. Efforts should be made to bring water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to meet the growing demand, he added. The Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan governing the use of the Indus river system, was suspended by India following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Haryana CM Saini said a meaningful discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere in the meeting, adding that it was decided that the next meeting will take place on August 5. He further said that Mann also acknowledged that this issue should be resolved, as it has remained pending for far too long. Conceived in 1978 to bring Haryana's share of Ravi-Beas water, the proposed 212-kilometre-long SYL canal consisted of two segments, a 91-kilometre channel in Haryana and a 121-kilometre carrier channel in Punjab. Haryana completed its portion of the channel in 1979, but Punjab has failed to complete the canal in its territory despite Supreme Court directions.
NDTV
10-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Indus Water Pact Suspension Must Be Utilised": Punjab Amid Water Row With Haryana
The opportunity of the Indus Water Treaty Suspension must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said, as he held a meeting with his Haryana counterpart Nayab Saini to resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) dispute. The recent decision by the Centre to suspend the Indus Water Treaty opens up the possibility of greater utilisation of water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) within Indian territory, Mr Mann said, referring to the suspension of the pact with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritised in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters, he added. The Chief Minister mooted the idea of Yamuna-Satluj Link (YSL) canal instead of Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. "Haryana and Punjab are brothers. Now this fight should end. There has always been politics over the matter. Both the states have been fighting for 2 MF water, but if the canal comes from Kashmir, we will get 23 MF water," he said. The controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement came into being after Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966. For effective allocation of water, SYL canal link was conceptualised. A stretch of 214 km SYL was set to be built, of which 122 km were to be in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana. In 2004, the then Congress government of the state came out with the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act with an intention to terminate the 1981 agreement and all other pacts relating to sharing of waters of rivers Ravi and Beas. The Supreme Court had first decreed the suit of Haryana in 2002 asking Punjab to honour its commitments with regard to water sharing in the case. Punjab challenged the verdict by filing a suit which was rejected in 2004 by the Supreme Court. During the meeting that was convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Mr Mann reiterated that Punjab has no spare water to share with any other state and there was no question of sharing even a single drop of water with anyone. Most of the state's blocks are overexploited, and the groundwater situation in the state is dire, he said. The Chief Minister said the SYL canal is an 'emotive issue' and that Punjab will face serious law and order problems, which will escalate into a national issue, with Haryana and Rajasthan also being affected. He and Mr Saini, however, express confidence that the dispute will be resolved soon. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on August 5. Mr Saini said a meaningful discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere in the meeting. He said Mr Mann acknowledged that this issue should be resolved, as it has remained pending for far too long. Mr Saini also said that Punjab and Haryana are like brothers, and even today, they share a common space with mutual respect and harmony. Discussions in the next meeting are expected to lead to a better solution and yield positive results, he said. The meeting was also attended by Union Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Irrigation and Water Resources Department Anurag Aggarwal, along with several senior officials from the Irrigation Department. Meanwhile, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre should now move ahead from such meetings. "The (top) court had handed over the responsibility of getting Haryana's share of water to the central government. The BJP is in power both in Haryana and at the Centre. In such a situation, Haryana should have got its share of water by now. But due to BJP's anti-Haryana attitude, this could not happen. Now, if the government is talking about it, then it should directly file a contempt of court case," he said. Indian National Lok Dal MLA Rania Arjun Chautala accused Mr Mann of doing politics over the issue. "Water is a natural resource over which the entire country has rights, not just of a state. SYL is the lifeline of Haryana. Haryana's right. Haryana should get water. The central government should resolve the water sharing issue," he said.
