Virtually defying Supreme Court, Punjab won’t allow SYL ‘at any cost’

The Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal issue hotted up Friday as the Punjab Assembly, in virtual defiance of a Supreme Court directive, unanimously adopted a resolution moved by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal declaring “the SYL canal will not be allowed to be constructed at any cost and under any circumstances”. It said the state does not have water to share with Haryana, which accused Punjab of “crossing all limits” and said it would approach the Centre and the Supreme Court.

This came just a day after the Supreme Court directed that the status quo be maintained on land meant for the SYL canal after Haryana alleged attempts were made to alter its use by levelling it. In New Delhi, the Congress urged PM Narendra Modi to call a meeting of the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana to resolve the issue.