SYL: Punjab Farmers can not Cultivate or Sell Reclaimed Land
Patiala: Surinder Kumar Bittu, sarpanch of Manakpur village near Rajpura, becomes anxious whenever the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal hogs media limelight. The canal, which passes through his fields, is now a defunct one with dilapidated banks and wild growth. Hundreds of farmers, who were assured that they will get back their land in 2016, which had been acquired for the canal, are unable to till or sell the same as they have not received any related document from the state government in this regard.
Fatehpur Garhi farmers allege that the canal is like a white elephant for them. “Just imagine this canal right in the middle of the village that is of no use,” says sarpanch Jagdish Kumar. “We will be happy if the Punjab Government allows some water to flow to Haryana. At least, we can irrigate our fields,” he added.
With the Supreme Court directing the Centre to intervene to get it completed, the issue is back to the fore after a gap of over 20 years when the Punjab Assembly had first passed the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, to avoid the completion of the canal in its territory.
In 2016, the Punjab Cabinet decided to denotify 5,376 acres and return it to its owners free of cost.
Designed to carry 10,500 cusecs of water
- Built to handle 10,500 cusecs, the canal was to carry 6,500 cusecs of water to parts of Haryana
- It takes off from the tail of Anandpur Sahib Hydel Channel in Ropar and enters Haryana near Kapoori village in Patiala district
- Besides carrying water to Haryana, it was also to cater to irrigation needs of some parts of Ropar and Patiala districts
No means to fill it
The canal is still there. We have no means to fill it with earth as it will cost lakhs of rupees to level it. There is no water flowing in it and all it brings is misery to nearby fields.” — Surinder Kumar Bittu, sarpanch of Manakpur village
