What is Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal Project and why CM of Punjab warned against its construction?

Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat warned that Punjab will burn and the river water-sharing dispute may turn into a national security issue if the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal project was given the green light. The 214-kilometre long canal is currently under construction and will connect Sutlej and Yamuna rivers. 

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Captain Amrinder Singh's warning is based on the bloody history over the construction of the SYL Canal. Also, the Punjab Government is of the view that it is utilising its water resources to grow crops for the entire nation and it must not be forced to share its water resources as it faces desertification. 

Also, the state of Punjab wants a fresh assessment of the water by availability. As per the state, there has been no adjudication or scientific assessment of the river water in Punjab. The CentralUnderground Water Authority reported that Punjab's underground water is over-exploited to meet the agriculture requirements. Out of 138 blocks in the state, 109 are 'over-exploited', two are 'critical' five are 'semi-critical' and only 22 blocks are in the 'safe' category.

History of SYL Canal Project

In the year 1947, after the partition of India and Pakistan, the Indus basin was bisected. India gained the upper reaches of the Indus river while Pakistan gained the lower reaches. This gave rise to a problem where the utilization and development of water resources in India will hamper the same in Pakistan. On January 29, 1955, Punjab, Patiala and the East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir signed an agreement over the distribution of water from Sutlej, Beas and Ravi river. Initially, Punjab was allocated 5.9 million acre-feet water, PEPSU gained 1.3 million acre-feet water, Rajasthan gained 8 million acre-feet water while Jammu and Kashmir gained million acre-feet water. However, after Punjab and PEPSU merged in 1956, the total share of Punjab became 7.2 million acre-feet water. 

In the year 1960, Indus Water Treaty was signed, allowing India unrestricted use of water from the three rivers-- Sutlej, Ravi and Beas. 

In the year 1966, the state of Punjab was reorganised with the creation of the state of Haryana. Haryana demanded 4.8 million acre-feet water share from the total of 7.2 million acre-feet water share of Punjab. Union Government intervened in the matter on the request of Haryana. When the emergency was imposed by Indira Gandhi in the year 1976, an order was issued by the Central Government that 3.5 million acre-feet water will be given to both the states of Haryana and Punjab while the Union Territory of Delhi will receive the remaining 0.2 million acre-feet water. 

Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal was proposed for the full utilization of water, but the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab opposed the proposal. In 1977, after the Shiromani Akali Dal came into power, it filed a suit against the order of the Central Government and demanded that the water sharing between the three states (Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan) must be adjudicated by the Apex Court of the country. 

In the same year, the then Chief Minister of Punjab Prakash Singh Badal started the construction of the canal and the then Chief Minister of Haryana  Chaudhary Devi Lal gave Rs. 1 Crore to the Punjab Government for this purpose. By the year 1980, the construction of the Haryana's canal portion was completed. 

The same year, Congress came to power in Punjab and an agreement was signed between the three states with Punjab and Rajasthan receiving an increased water share-- 4.22 and 8.6 million acre-feet while Haryana received the remaining amount of water. After the agreement was signed, all three states withdrew their suits from the Apex Court. 

On April 8, 1982, Indira Gandhi launched the construction of the canal at Kapoori Village in Punjab and on April 23, Punjab Government issued a white paper on the agreement. In October 1985, Akali Dal came back in power in Punjab and rejected the 1981 agreement. On April 2, 1986, Ravi and Beas Water Tribunals were constituted. On January 30, 1987, the tribunal upheld the legality of the previous agreements of 1955, 1976 and 1981 and increased water share to 5 and 3.83 million acre-feet for both Punjab and Haryana. The construction of the canal was started in Punjab in 1990 under the then CM  Surjit Singh Barnala. 

In July 1990, Chief Engineer ML Sekhri and Superintending Engineer Avtar Singh Aulakh associated with the project were shot dead by the militants and the construction went on hold. In 2002, on the request of Haryana Government, the Supreme Court directed Punjab to complete the construction work within a year, to which the Punjab Government refused. However, in 2004, the Supreme Court ordered the construction of the canal through a central agency. 

On July 2, 2004, the Central Public Works Department was appointed to complete the construction. On July 12, 2004, Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, received a mandate in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, abrogating the river agreements with its neighbouring states. The then President referred to the Bill in the Apex Court. 

On March 7, 2016, the court began hearings on the bill. On March 15, 2016, Punjab Satluj Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2016 was passed in the Punjab Legislative Assembly. The bill proposed that the land will be returned to the owners of the project for building the canal. On November 10, 2016, court gave a verdict that the 2004 bill by Punjab Government is illegal and on November 15, 2016, an executive order was passed to return the land to its owners for the construction of SYL canal. On November 20, 2016, the land was returned to its owners. 

On February 22, 2017, the SC issued a statement that the Government of Punjab will have to abide by its order on the construction of the canal and if the governments of both Punjab and Haryana fails to come to an agreement, the SC will pass a decree. 

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