Singh, while replying to a question on Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's statement that the construction of the canal to provide water to neighbouring Haryana could trigger a revival of militancy in the state, said the two states should undertake "joint efforts" to resolve the issue.
"They should try and find ways to solve the problem. At a recent meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, I had suggested the same and there was some kind of a consensus," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
The state would be "pushed back to the dark days of terrorism" if the solution to the dispute did not address its concerns, Singh had cautioned, adding that such a negative development could lead to a "major crisis".
The Congress leader had also said he had requested the Union home minister to start negotiations on the SYL issue through the Water Resources Department "in the interest of peace and stability".