Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann met on Tuesday to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. The meeting in Chandigarh, the first in 2026, lasted for about an hour but remained inconclusive. However, senior officials from both states, who were present in the meeting, will continue discussions on the issue.
After the meeting, Saini and Mann held a joint press conference.
Saini said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.
"Punjab is the land of the Gurus, and their teachings are still invaluable to us. Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that air is the guru, water is the father, and the earth is the mother. The words of the gurus are still guiding us," the BJP leader said.
SYL ਦੇ ਅਹਿਮ ਮੁੱਦੇ 'ਤੇ ਮੀਟਿੰਗ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਦੇ ਸਾਥੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ, ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਤੋਂ LIVE ..... SYL के महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दे पर मीटिंग के बाद मीडिया सहयोगियों के साथ बातचीत, चंडीगढ़ से LIVE https://t.co/8cDrcQQTJR
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) January 27, 2026
When discussions take place in a good atmosphere, meaningful results follow, he said.
Mann also said that the discussions were held in a good atmosphere.
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) January 27, 2026
"This issue is old and has been lingering for a long time. The words of the Gurus are guiding us. Haryana is not our enemy; it is our brother," he said.
"Water is becoming a major issue all over the world. Measures for water conservation will also have to be taken. Both sides are in favor of a meaningful solution. Officials from both states will hold meetings on this issue as needed," he added.
He said that just as our elders used to sit together and find solutions, we will do the same.
"Although this dispute is a legacy of our elders, a new generation has now come into power. We can hope for a meaningful solution. We want to ensure that no one's rights are violated," the AAP leader said.
When asked about the construction of the SYL canal, Mann said, "Will juice be released into the canal? Let's resolve the water issue first."
The two chief ministers have also held discussions on this issue on December 28, 2023, January 4, 2023, October 14, 2022, and August 18, 2020.
The SYL canal dispute is a decades-old interstate water dispute between Punjab and Haryana over the sharing of water from the Ravi and Beas rivers.
According to the 1981 agreement, the 214-kilometer-long canal was to be constructed with 122 kilometers in Punjab and 92 kilometers in Haryana.
Haryana completed its portion, but Punjab constructed its part in segments, denotified the land, and even leveled approximately 42 kilometers of the canal area. Due to the non-construction of the SYL canal, Haryana is receiving less water than its due share.
In 1996, Haryana filed a petition in the Supreme Court on this issue. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Haryana, but Punjab is unhappy with the decision.
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