Today, on 18th March, the State Assembly of Punjab has unanimously passed a resolution in connection with the issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link- SYL Canal. And this is seen against the order of the honourable Supreme Court of India which came yesterday, i.e. on 17th March.
In the Order from the Apex Court, the court took intervention in water war and ordered Punjab to maintain a Status Quo on the concerned SYL canal land. The decision was taken by the Five- Judges Constitution bench of the Apex court, comprising of Justice- A. R. Dave, Justice- C. Ghose, Justice- S. R. Singh, Justice- Adarsh K. Goel and Justice- A. Roy.
It was a 2004’s presidential reference, which the concerned bench of supreme court was hearing yesterday, for examining the legality of the Punjab Termination Agreement Act, 2004 that scrapped all water sharing agreements with the neighbouring states.
Moreover, defying the order of maintaining status quo the Punjab Assembly decided to pass a resolution and it did that, in today morning in which all political parties of the State have unanimously resolved to the effect that the SYL Canal cannot be built, irrespective of any circumstances there may be, as stated by the Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister- Harcharan singh Bains.
He further stated that the case before the Apex court where the power of the Government of India was challenged to the effect to which it can distribute water between the States, must be decided SYL canal can even be talked about.
It was also seen in the interim order of the Apex Court that it has also appointed Union Home Secretary and Punjab’s Chief Secretary and Director- General of Police- DGP as the “Joint Receiver” of the land and other property meant for the canal till the next date of hearing, which is set to on 31st March, 2016. As per CM- Sukhbir Singh Badal, who said yesterday, the State is having no water for share. Moreover, he claimed that the water crisis has occurred due to non- following of the Riparian Act in case of Punjab.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan