Washington, D.C. |The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), through its President Satnam Singh Chahal, today issued a strong condemnation and caution to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging him not to make any direct or indirect commitment regarding the construction of the controversial Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal or the sharing of Punjab’s river waters with Haryana. This warning comes at a highly sensitive juncture, as deliberations on the decades-old dispute are underway under the supervision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
Satnam Singh Chahal emphasized that the SYL issue is not merely a legal or political matter, but one that strikes at the very survival of Punjab—its farmers, its economy, and its future generations. “At a time when Punjab is facing an unprecedented water crisis, any concession made under pressure, political bargaining, or so-called national consensus would have irreversible and disastrous consequences for the state,” he said.
Punjab’s river waters, Chahal noted, are deeply intertwined with the state’s agrarian identity and federal rights. Experts, environmentalists, and farmer organizations have repeatedly warned that Punjab is confronting one of the gravest water emergencies in its history. Groundwater levels are declining at an alarming rate, with over 75 percent of Punjab’s blocks already classified as over-exploited. In several districts, particularly in the Malwa region, excessive extraction has pushed the land toward desertification, forcing farmers to dig deeper each year to access rapidly vanishing aquifers.
“In such a dire scenario, the very suggestion of sharing water with another state is not only illogical but amounts to playing with the existence of Punjab itself,” Chahal stated. “Punjab does not possess even a single drop of surplus water. Our rivers are already overstretched due to decades of intensive agriculture, ecological degradation, and the impacts of climate change.”
The NAPA underlined that Punjab’s existing water resources are barely sufficient to sustain its own farmers, rural communities, and urban needs. Any move to concede Punjab’s rightful share—whether through backdoor assurances, silence, or political compromises—would be seen as a historic betrayal of Punjab’s farmers and people, he warned.
Referring to the long-standing SYL dispute, Chahal pointed out that the original water-sharing agreements were framed on outdated and flawed data, dating back to the mid-20th century. “Those allocations were made without any scientific assessment of future needs, climate variability, groundwater depletion, or changing river flows. Today’s realities are completely different,” he said. “Decisions affecting Punjab’s waters must be based on current, transparent, and scientific evaluations, not on assumptions that no longer reflect ground realities.”
Satnam Singh Chahal further cautioned the Punjab Chief Minister against attempting to project any flexibility on SYL for short-term political gains. “Punjab’s waters are non-negotiable. The Chief Minister must remember that he is the custodian of the people’s trust. History will not forgive those who compromise Punjab’s lifeline,” he asserted.
NAPA called upon the Punjab government to take a firm, united, and uncompromising stand before the Supreme Court and at all political forums, reflecting the unanimous will of Punjab’s people. The organization also appealed to all political parties, farmer unions, and civil society groups to remain vigilant and united in safeguarding Punjab’s water rights.
“Punjab has already given enough to the nation,” Chahal concluded. “It cannot be asked to sacrifice its future once again. Any attempt to revive the SYL Canal or divert Punjab’s waters will be strongly opposed by Punjabis across the globe.”