Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has requested Punjab Governor, Kaptan Singh Solanki, to withhold his assent to the Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on March 14.
As the row over water sharing between two neighbouring States escalated after Punjab Assembly passed the Bill, Khattar today wrote to Solanki, who is Governor of Haryana holding additional charge of Punjab as well.
In a letter to the Punjab Governor today, the Chief Minister asked him to direct the Punjab Government to immediately restore the status quo ante on the SYL in Punjab territory as it existed on March 14, 2016.
Alluding to the "very important and pressing issue", Khattar wrote, "In an attempt to circumvent and divert the ongoing hearing in the Presidential Reference before the Supreme Court of India and to deprive Haryana of its legitimate share of water in Ravi Beas, Punjab Vidhan Sabha has passed the Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill on March 14."
"Through this Bill, the Punjab Government intends to de-notify the lawfully acquired lands for construction of SYL. The Haryana Vidhan Sabha has unanimously passed a resolution condemning this unilateral and unconstitutional action of Punjab on March 14," he said in the letter.
Drawing the attention of the Governor to media reports stating that the farmers in Punjab have already started filling up the SYL Canal in the districts of Patiala and Ropar in Punjab territory, he said it was a "blatantly illegal and irresponsible act on the part of Punjab."
"I, therefore, request you to withhold your assent to the said Bill and also to direct the Government of Punjab to immediately restore the status quo ante of the SYL in Punjab territory as it existed on March 14, 2016," the Haryana Chief Minister wrote in the letter.
