Punjab assembly adopts resolution against Sutlej Yamuna link

Punjab assembly today adopted a resolution against the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal saying the state "does not have a drop of water to spare" even as the Speaker suspended all the Congress MLAs for remaining period of the day's session.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, moving the resolution, said the SYL Canal land will be "de-acquired" by the state government.
"Punjab is primarily an agrarian state and river waters are its lifeline," he said.
"According to the Riparian Principles, Punjab had absolute right over its river waters, but through various agreements and decisions it had been robbed off its due share in broad daylight," he said.

"Punjab didn't have a single drop of water to share with anyone," he said.
Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal suspended Congress members for creating a pandemonium in the House over a tussle on who will speak first on the resolution which was moved by Badal.

The members in the House, in the absence of entire opposition Congress, resolved not to accept any decision against "injustice" to river waters of Punjab.
"Any attempt to divest river waters of Ravi and Beas from Punjab and forcefully implementing the decision to construct SYL in Punjab will not be tolerated at any cost," Badal said.

The CM alleged that Congress governments had "betrayed" Punjab over its rights on river waters as the decision to construct SYL was taken by the then Indira Gandhi government in 1981.
He said Punjab will not "compromise" over the issue of SYL project, he said.