SC to see if SYL advisory binding on Punjab or not

New Delhi: The 15-year-old Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal row between Haryana and Punjab took a new turn on Thursday with the Supreme Court agreeing to decide whether its advisory opinion to the President, that the law passed by Punjab in 2004 is illegal, is binding on Punjab or not.

The Supreme Court in 2002 and 2004 passed orders directing Punjab to implement the SYL water agreements. Punjab, however, passed a law in 2004 to terminate the agreements. The President then sought an advisory opinion from the apex court, which in 2016 held that the law as illegal.   

During the resumed hearing of the case before a Bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Amitav Roy, senior counsel R.S. Suri for Punjab made it clear that the advisory opinion is not binding on the Punjab government. The 2004 law still existed and unless it is quashed, Punjab cannot implement the SYL canal project. He also maintained that it is impossible to implement the January 15, 2002 decree on construction of SYL canal project for a length of 121 km, when there is no adequate water to share with Haryana.

The counsel said the construction of the Canal for transferring Ravi-Beas water to the western Yamuna canal is impossible in the given circumstances of political unrest in Punjab.