Supreme Court slams Punjab's 'highhandedness' on Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday berated the Punjab government for its "highhandedness" in refusing to comply with the court's direction for the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal to resolve its water-sharing dispute with Haryana.

A division bench comprising justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to cooperate with the Centre for an amicable settlement of the water-sharing dispute failing which the court said it would take up the matter for adjudication on August 13. "Was it not the act of high handedness that once the decree was passed for construction of the canal, the land was denotified which was acquired for the construction of the canal? ... It is trying to defeat the decree of the court. Clear case of highhandedness... land was acquired for the project and you denotified that," Justice Gavai verbally told the counsel for the Punjab government.

The counsel for the Punjab government contended that neighbouring Haryana was getting water based on its consumption, and the issue pertaining to its entitlement to additional water was before the Water Tribunal. To this, the bench orally remarked: "So according to you, this court has passed a decree without considering everything? You are attributing non-application of mind?"


The development took place during the resumed hearing of a 1996 original suit filed by Haryana against Punjab in relation to the SYL Canal dispute. The case dates back to 1981 when Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana had entered into a water-sharing agreement. This agreement also provided that the SYL Canal would be completed within two years. However, violence surrounding the construction of the SYL Canal led to Punjab halting the construction.