Haryana firm on SYL stand: CM

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said his government is firm on its stand on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue and the state's people should get their rightful share in the Ravi-Beas waters.

He said since the Supreme Court had declared as unconstitutional a 2004 law passed by the Punjab assembly on the water agreements, an old agreement on the matter will be implemented.

The Chief Minister was interacting with the media after attending the first-ever' DigiDhan Mela' organised here to promote cashless transactions.

As for the 2017 Punjab assembly elections, he said he will visit the neighbouring state to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is an ally of the Shiromani Akali Dal, if the party asked him to.

About 'DigiDhan Mela', Khattar said that accounts of more than 3,000 persons were opened and about 7,000 others imparted training during the first such event.

As many as 100 similar events will be organised throughout the country up to April 14, 2017. Awards will be given to encourage cashless transactions, he added.

On November 30, the Supreme Court had ordered a status quo on the land acquired for the construction of the canal's stretch in Punjab and appointed the Union Home Secretary, Punjab's Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police as receivers.

The court order came on a plea by the Haryana government that sought status quo ante in the wake of the Punjab government's decision to denotify the acquired land and restore it to its original owners.

--IANS

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