Will not allow construction of SYL: SAD

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today declared that it would not allow the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal and said Punjab has not a drop of water to spare for any other state.
The core committee of the SAD at a meeting declared its firm resolve not to allow the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal as that will deprive Punjab of its legitimate claim on the waters of the rivers that flow through it.
"Punjab neither has a drop a water to spare for any other state, nor is there any legal or constitutional provision by which it can be deprived of its right over the waters of rivers that flow through it, nor will even a single drop of water belonging to Punjab be allowed to be taken out of the state," the SAD observed.

The Core Committee of SAD asked the President to ignore the advice of the Supreme Court as it did not answer any of the issues raised by him.
"We stand by the Constitution and the Constitution guarantees us absolute and exclusive right over the waters of rivers that flow through it. If Punjab cannot get water from Ravi and Beas, will it get it from Brahmaputra and Tung Bhadra?" felt the Core Committee members.
A resolution passed at the Core Committee meeting today said, "The SYL is neither necessary, nor feasible, nor is there a single drop of spare water available to flow through it, nor will it be allowed to be built.

"Punjab itself faces the horrific prospect of turning into a desert because of acute water scarcity and shocking pace at which the sub soil water level is falling.

"Besides, no state through which a river does not flow can be given water forcibly," said the resolution.
Giving details of the Core Committee meeting proceedings, party's general secretary and Chief Spokesperson Harcharan Bains said that the party is concerned and surprised over the advice of the Supreme Court to the President "which completely overlooks the purpose for which the President had sought the apex court's opinion.
The Core Committee said the Supreme Court's advice, does not answer of the four issues addressed to it by the President of India.

The first of these issues was whether the Termination of Agreements Act 2004 was illegal and unconstitutional.
The Apex court did not answer that, he said.
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A SAD Spokesman said all Punjabis would file a comprehensive petition against the construction of SYL canal and impress upon the state government to safeguard the interests of Punjab and its share of river waters besides ensuring that SYL was not constructed at any cost.
Through the petition all the Punjabis would express their firm stand to not allow the construction of this canal at any cost, he said.
The cadres of Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP would facilitate the people in this campaign, he said.

This petition would be handed over to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on December 8 at Moga during 'Paani Bachao, Punjab Bachao (Save Water, Save Punjab)' rally for sending it to President Pranab Mukherjee, he said.
The core committee also said the Supreme Courts's observation that Punjab should first have sought the setting up of a Tribunal was "intriguing" because a plea from Punjab requesting precisely the setting up of such a Tribunal is already lying before the SC.
Instead of asking Punjab to make such a demand, the Court should have decided that petition, said Bains.
The Court should also have set up the tribunal with clear terms of reference, the first of which should be the position of the riparian principle.

Can Haryana be included in such a Tribunal as it is not a riparian state?
The core committee passed a resolution in which it held the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the then chief minister Darbara Singh, Giani Zail Singh apart from Captain Amarinder Singh "squarely responsible" for the loot of the state.
"Of these, Captain Amarinder Singh has been the principal villain as it was he who invited Gandhi to Kapuri to start the digging for the SYL canal," said the core committee resolution.