Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Project

Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Project

Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-I – Water Resources & GS-II – Inter-State Relations; Dispute Redressal Mechanisms 

In News:

• Recently, Center’s proposal to proceed with Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Project may cause political unrest in Punjab.

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Key takeaways 

• The dispute can be traced back to the Indus Water Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan. 
• It allowed India free and unrestricted use of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
• 1966: Creation of Haryana from the old (undivided) Punjab threw up the problem of giving Haryana its share of river waters.
• Recently, SC has directed the Chief Ministers of both states to negotiate and settle the SYL canal issue at the highest political level to be mediated by the Centre.
• However, Punjab has asked for a tribunal for fresh time-bound assessment of the water availability. 
• Punjab is unwilling to share water because it is facing severe water crisis due to over-exploitation of its underground aquifers for the wheat/paddy monocycle.