With Punjab Assembly today issuing directions to the state government against SYL canal, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said with the "historic" move the "final burial" has been given to SYL canal.
"Punjab Assembly today took historic decision and with this, final burial has been given to SYL canal," said Deputy CM while addressing media after the special session was concluded.
The special session of the Punjab Assembly today unanimously passed two resolutions on the SYL issue, directing the state government not to "hand over land to any agency" and also "not to allow anyone to work for the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal."
The second resolution said the State government should take up the matter with the Centre and neighbouring states for levying "cost and royalty" on the release of water.
Yesterday the Punjab cabinet had announced to denotify the land acquired for the SYL project and return it to the "original owners" at no cost.
Sukhbir said that the land has now been transferred to the rightful owners.
"The assembly has given unanimous direction to the state government and officials and we are bound by this decision ... keeping that in view this (SYL) chapter is closed," he noted.
Asked whether royalty to be charged on water has been worked out, Sukhbir said that the Finance department along with Irrigation department would calculate the figure of cost and royalty.
"We will recover all the money from all the states concerned...," he added.
Asked whether the neighbouring states will pay cost and royalty, Sukhbir said, "May be they pay the amount."
Asked if Himachal Pradesh starts charging royalty for river water, Sukhbir said that Punjab was a riparian state and the river flow to the state is natural.
"Moreover, the government of India in its recent policy has decided to give percentage of value of natural resources like mines, coal to respective states. And for us, the natural resource is water," he said while justifying the levying of cost and royalty on water released to neighbouring states.
Asked about the legal position of the resolutions passed
by the assembly, Sukhbir Badal said it is "more powerful" than the Bill.
It was the legislature which makes and amends the Constitution. "Why we are elected if we cannot do anything," he questioned.
The Deputy CM claimed that there was no stay of any court as far as SYL land is concerned.
"Punjab government has denotified the land and the state government has transferred the land to owners. There is no stay," he said.
"There is no stay of Supreme Court," he stressed claiming that the land was now with the farmers.
Notably, the work on levelling the land and demolition of old canal structure was stopped in March this year following the Supreme Court's order of maintenance of status quo on land meant for SYL canal after Haryana raised the matter.
Asked Haryana BJP leaders today met Punjab governor in connection with SYL issue, Sukhbir said, "let them dream and everyone has the right to dream."
He said that the state Cabinet would meet President and would convey its decision on denotifying the land.
"We will also request him not to accept the advice of SC on SYL matter," he added.
