Haryana Assly passes resolution condemning Punjab's SYL bill

Within hours of Punjab Assembly unanimously passing a bill against the construction of SYL canal which was carry Haryana's share of Ravi Beas water, the Haryana Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution condemning the bill.
In an attempt to divest its neighbouring states from getting share from Punjab's river waters, the Punjab assembly unanimously passed a bill against the construction of contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal providing transfer of proprietary rights back to the land owners free of cost.
Hours later Haryana Assembly this evening passed a "unanimous" resolution condemning the passage of the Bill by the Punjab Assembly de-notifying the land for the SYL as "unilateral, unconstitutional and denying the authority of the Supreme Court, a step only to draw political mileage."

The resolution moved by Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar requested the Union Government to annul this illegal and unconstitutional action.
Badal is scheduled to meet Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki here tomorrow to press for an early assent to the bill passed by the Punjab Assembly. Solanki is Haryana Governor, but presently holding additional charge of Punjab.
Speaking on the resolution, Chief Minister Manohar Lal urged all the political parties to unanimously pass the resolution by rising above the politics in the interest of the State.

He also condemned the "unilateral, unconstitutional," denying the authority of the Supreme Court action of Punjab which is a step only to draw political mileage and urged the Government of India to annul this illegal and unconstitutional action.

Others who also spoke on this resolution included Finance Minister Abhimanyu, INLD MLA Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, HJC MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi and Independent MLA Jai Parkash. Opposition Congress members had been suspended earlier.
The resolution said that Haryana is a water deficit State and the availability of water is 61 per cent less than the total requirement. Out of 126 blocks of the State 71 blocks are overexploited in groundwater.
The situation is so grim that in half of the State canal water can be supplied after a gap of 32 days for only 8 days, with the result that it is difficult to even fulfil the drinking water needs and ponds.

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On the request of Haryana Government the matter was referred by the Government of India through the President to the Supreme Court for its opinion on controversial Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, the resolution said.
Further, in view of the seriousness of the issue this august House, unanimously passed resolutions in the years 2011 and 2014 severely condemning the "unilateral and unconstitutional" act of Punjab.
It is on account of the concerted efforts of the present Government that the Presidential Reference, pending for the last more than 11 years, has now come up for hearing before the Hon'ble Supreme Court.

The resolution said that Punjab has made yet another attempt to circumvent and divert the outcome of the Presidential Reference under consideration of the Supreme Court and depriving Haryana of its legitimate share of water by passing the Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill to de-notify the land, lawfully acquired for construction of the SYL.
"This is a patently illegal act of Punjab and is in utter contempt of the Indian Constitution, federal structure of the country and the rule of law. This is a sinister move of Punjab Government having dangerous potential to undermine the unity and integrity of this country" the resolution said.

"This House unanimously passes a resolution condemning the unilateral, unconstitutional, denying the authority of the Supreme Court action of Punjab which is a step only to draw political mileage," it said.
"This House requests the Government of India to annul this illegal and unconstitutional action. Also this House requests the Government of India for pursuing the matter in the ongoing Presidential Reference to take it to just conclusion and take effective steps for early completion of SYL canal so that rights of the people of Haryana are protected," the resolution said.