Haryana's Water Battle: Why Punjab's SYL Canal Standoff Hurts States

“By pooling our resources, sharing knowledge, and adopting each other's best practices, we can turn the vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ into reality,” said the Chief Minister while addressing the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council held in Faridabad in Haryana under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

He said Haryana has made several efforts in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

While discussing key agenda items, CM Saini said arrangements must be ensured for supplying each state its rightful share of water.

“Haryana has consistently been giving Delhi more water than its own share. However, due to the non-construction of the SYL canal, Haryana is not receiving its full share of water from Punjab. Once Haryana receives its rightful share of water through the SYL, Rajasthan will also get its due share.”

He said Punjab is the land of the “Gurus, the sacred soil where Guru Sevak Bhai Kanhaiya-ji served even enemy soldiers on the battlefield by giving them water”.

Through the Northern Zonal Council, he urged Punjab to remember the great traditions of the Gurus while addressing the water dispute.

He said water “is a shared resource, and keeping it clean is the collective responsibility of all states.”

Recalling that rivers are revered as mothers in Indian culture, he specifically mentioned the Yamuna and assured that Haryana is making every effort to keep it clean.

Referring to Panjab University in Chandigarh, CM Saini said that the Haryana government wishes to contribute to the university.

“If some colleges of Haryana become affiliated to Panjab University, it will benefit both the university and the students of Haryana.”

The Chief Minister said ensuring the safety of children is everyone’s responsibility.

With the implementation of the three new criminal laws in Haryana, cases under the POCSO Act are being disposed of more swiftly.

CM Saini said to ensure affordable healthcare for every citizen, the state government strengthened Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana by integrating its own Chirayu Yojana with it.

“This is an example of accelerated development under the ‘double-engine’ government.”

He said banking facilities are now available even in the smallest villages of Haryana.

The Chief Minister said out of the 217 ‘sankalps’ (poll promise) made in the Sankalp Patra during the last Assembly election, the government has fulfilled 47 in the very first year.

Citing one example, he said on September 25, the ‘Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi’ App was launched on the 109th birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

On Haryana Day (November 1), the government transferred Rs 2,100 each into the bank accounts of 522,162 eligible women beneficiaries under the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana.

So far, 8.05 lakh applications have been received, and the number will soon reach 15 lakh.

- IANS