Haryana CM hails SC decision on SYL issue

Chandigarh, Nov 10 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday hailed the Supreme Court decision on a 2004 Presidential reference on the sharing of the Sutlej-Yamuna rivers waters.

The Supreme Court on Thursday held as ‘unconstitutional’ Punjab’s 2004 law intended to deny Haryana its share in the Sutlej-Yamuna waters.

The Chief Minister said the Supreme Court decision on the vital issue, which comes after 12 years, was a result of persistent efforts made by the present BJP government in Haryana.

He said the decision would enable the state to get its legitimate share of the surplus Ravi-Beas waters, that is 3.5 million acre feet.

Holding that the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004, was not in conformity with the constitutional provisions, a Constitution Bench of Justice Anil R. Dave, Justice Shiva Kirti Singh, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Amitava Roy answered in the negative all the four questions referred to the top court in a Presidential reference.

"The decision is a gift to Haryana’s people in the golden jubilee year of the state," an official statement quoted Khattar as saying.