Land Acquired For Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Denotified By Punjab Cabinet

Chandigarh: The land acquired by the Punjab government for the Satluj-Yamuna Link canal project was de-notified and will be returned to the original owners free of cost, an order passed by the state cabinet has said.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The decision comes into effect immediately and necessary orders are being passed, Chief Minister's media advisor Harcharan Bains has said.

In March, earlier this year, the Punjab Assembly had passed a similar bill to hand back the land acquired for the canal to farmers but it was stayed by the Supreme Court. Many leaders from both the ruling Akali Dal and the Congress had rushed to the dried canal beds to fill it with soil in protest.

On Wednesday, a special session of the Punjab Assembly was convened to discuss the issue. But there will be no opposition as the Congress party's 42 MLAs have already submitted their resignations in protest last week over the Supreme Court order asking Punjab to share Satluj waters with its neighbouring states.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the President of Akali Dal, has made it clear that Punjab will not spare "even a drop" of its water for any other state. Haryana government has called an all-party meet on the November 17 to take stock of the situation.