SYL canal front and centre, Punjab-Haryana ties hit troubled waters again

• The Supreme Court gave direction to the government of Punjab to complete the construction of the project The Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) Dispute

• The Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SYL), is an under-construction canal to connect the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.
• The decades-old dispute over the canal, which is supposed to carry water from Punjab to Haryana, has its origin in a disagreement over sharing of Ravi-Beas water.
• The river Beas joins river Sutlej in Punjab.
• The dispute regarding sharing of river water emerged after Punjab was reorganised in 1966, and the state of Haryana was created (out of Punjab).
• After this, Punjab refused to share waters of Ravi and Beas with Haryana.
• The court asked the Union government to “survey the portion of the land allocated for the project in Punjab to ensure that the land is protected

Prelims takeaway

• Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal
• Beas river