Lauding state revenue officials for implementing the Cabinet's decision in this regard, he said Punjabis owed a debt of gratitude to the revenue officials of Mohali, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahab and Ropar districts for working with breakneck speed to turn the Cabinet decision into realty.
"As of today all land acquired for construction of SYL canal which had been denotified by the state cabinet, has been transferred back to the original farmers free of charge through mutations," the minister said.
In Ropar, 1,468 acres has been transferred back to 5,180 owners across 91 villages. In Fatehgarh Sahib, 552 acres has been transferred back to 2,031 owners of 35 villages, he said.
In Mohali, 791 acres of land has been transferred back to 1,323 owners of 16 villages. In Patiala district, 1,450 acres of land had been transferred back to 5774 owners in 60 villages, the minister said.
"Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had promised that SYL canal will never be constructed. By successfully transferring land back to the farmers we have proved that we do not make empty proclamations like Congress whose state leaders have been sympathising with the farmers, even as their party high command has always sided with Haryana on SYL issue," he said.
Political temperatures have risen in Punjab after Supreme Court held as "unconstitutional" the 2004 law passed by Punjab to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh.
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