Recently, the Supreme Court has instructed the Union government to conduct a survey of the land designated for the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab and provide an assessment of the amount of construction that has taken place in that area.

Additionally, a bench of Justices, including Sanjay Kishan Kaul, C. T. Ravikumar, and Sudhanshu Dhulia, has urged the Punjab government to cooperate in the survey, warning of potential stringent directives if cooperation is not extended.

The court also asked the Centre to actively pursue the mediation between Punjab and Haryana on the issue.

"We are concerned with the execution of a decree for construction of the Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal in the Punjab portion as Haryana has already constructed the canal. The land was acquired and construction was commenced even in Punjab though there may be difference in estimates to what extent construction has already been completed in Punjab," the bench said.

"We would like the Union of India to survey the portion of the land of Punjab allocated for the project to ensure that the land is protected, as the Punjab Government could not have released the land, their action having been stayed," the bench said.

"An estimate can also be made as to what is the extent of construction which has been carried out in Punjab," the court added.

The court also took note of the efforts made by the counsel representing the State of Punjab to argue that over time, the availability of water has decreased, potentially resulting in a smaller share for Haryana, which could potentially be addressed through alternative means.

"We may note that it has already been settled that the execution does not deal with the allocation of water," the bench said.

The court told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that the Central Government should actively pursue the mediation process.

The law officer provided an assurance to the court that all the necessary information would be presented. The court has set a date for the matter to be considered, which is in January 2024.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing Haryana, emphasized that the Supreme Court had issued an order for the execution of the decree, and it was imperative for the process to advance. The remaining crucial aspect is the construction, and Punjab is expected to cooperate in this regard.

The bench stated its commitment to finding a solution, emphasizing that the dispute at hand pertains exclusively to the construction of the canal.

The construction of the planned 211-kilometer-long canal, connecting the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers, was initially conceived in 1966 following the reorganization of Punjab. Subsequently, in 1981, a water-sharing agreement was formalized between the concerned parties to redistribute the waters of the Ravi and Beas rivers.

The Haryana government has successfully constructed 90 kilometers of the canal within its jurisdiction, but the construction work in Punjab remains unfinished.