New Delhi/Chandigarh, May 6 (PTI) Amid a water-sharing dispute with Punjab, Congress MPs from Haryana on Tuesday met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and urged him to help the state get its rightful share and implement the Supreme Court's order on the SYL's construction.
Haryana has been seeking completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to get its share of 3.5 million acre feet (MAF) water. It has also been demanding that Punjab comply with the Supreme Court's order for the canal's completion.
Punjab has maintained that not a single drop of water would be "given from the state's share to Haryana" amid a stand-off with the neighbouring state over distribution of water from the Bhakra Dam.
Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda said after the meeting with Patil that the people of Haryana would not tolerate such an injustice.
"Our rightful share of water from the Sutlej in the SYL cannot be withheld. It is unacceptable that the Punjab government can allow water to flow into Pakistan but Haryana is denied its share…," he said and added Indira Gandhi had laid the SYL's foundation to ensure the river's water reached Haryana.
Alleging the Punjab government did not complete the SYL project, he claimed it was not even allowing water from the Bhakra Dam to flow to Haryana.
Punjab has repeatedly maintained that there was "no surplus water to share".
"If Punjab does not allow water from the Bhakra to reach Haryana, it is the responsibility of the central government to ensure that the water reaches the state and also ensure construction of the SYL canal and (implementation of) the Supreme Court's order. It is imperative that the central government ensures Haryana receives its rightful share of water from the Bhakra Dam," he asserted.
Hooda said they apprised the Union minister of the issue and expressed hope that he would take action. "The minister has assured us of action."
"We would expect the (Haryana) chief minister to speak with the prime minister and all MPs are ready to meet him. We will ourselves seek time from the prime minister," he said.
Hisar MP Dharambir said, "We do not want any kind of politics. Haryana will suffer if there is politics. Haryana has already suffered as the Rajiv-Longowal Accord could not be implemented due to politics. The party that opposed the accord then is in power today."
Ambala MP Varun Chaudhary said the people of Haryana were fighting for their survival.
"We will fight this together … Haryana is being made to suffer, it is neither allowed to have its own capital or high court. Now, water is being denied to despite the Supreme Court's order," he told reporters.
Sonipat MP Satpal Brahmachari said Haryana should get its rightful share of water and demanded that the Supreme Court's order be implemented.
He said they were ready to meet the prime minister and urge him to ensure Haryana was not dealt with in a step-motherly manner.
Punjab and Haryana are locked in a bitter war of words over the sharing of water from the Bhakra Dam after Punjab locked the dam's doors and refused to release water to Haryana.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to cooperate with the Centre for an amicable solution to the decades-old SYL dispute.
The SYL was conceptualised for effective sharing of water between the Punjab and Haryana from the Ravi and the Beas rivers.
The project envisages a 214-kilometre canal, of which a 122-kilometre stretch was to be constructed in Punjab and the remainder in Haryana.
Haryana has completed the project on its territory but Punjab, which launched the work in 1982, shelved it.