Chandigarh, Jan 27 (NationPress) - In a significant meeting held in the shared capital of Chandigarh, the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana convened to seek a peaceful resolution to the longstanding Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water sharing conflict. On Tuesday, both leaders expressed optimism, indicating that the discussions were fruitful and that future dialogues at the official level would take place.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that the matter has lingered for many years. He remarked, "I presented my perspective, while my counterpart from Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, shared his. We have resolved to ensure that our officials meet regularly rather than waiting for Supreme Court dates. The esteemed Supreme Court and the Central Government have urged us to engage in talks. The citizens of Punjab and Haryana have entrusted us with these duties, and we aim to resolve this issue."

Haryana's Chief Minister, Saini, affirmed, "We convened following the Supreme Court's guidance, and our discussions were substantial. Previously, we had dialogues under the aegis of C.R. Patil, the Union Jal Shakti Minister, and those discussions were also productive. Today's talks were conducted in a positive setting, and we have agreed to future discussions at the officer level, with the outcomes being communicated back to us for further progress."

The meeting, which spanned around 30 minutes, saw both leaders commit to maintaining the ongoing positive dialogue, as informed by officials.

In attendance were Haryana Irrigation Minister Shruti Choudhry and Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, along with senior officials from both states.

The next round of discussions is set to occur at the secretary level in both states, with plans for further actions to be taken within the next fortnight, as disclosed by an official familiar with the situation.

During the previous talks, which took place on August 5, 2025, CM Mann had urged the Central Government to utilize the water from the Chenab River to address the protracted water dispute with Haryana, advocating for the sidelining of the SYL canal issue.

At a meeting convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister Patil, Mann highlighted that the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan has opened a significant opportunity for India to access water from the Chenab, which was previously allocated to Pakistan.

He suggested that the Centre should redirect Chenab's water to Indian reservoirs like Ranjit Sagar, Pong, or Bhakra, noting that new canals and infrastructure would be necessary for this, which would be constructed in Punjab.

The SYL canal has been a contentious issue between Punjab and Haryana since the 1980s.

After the last meeting, Haryana CM remarked to the media that a prior meeting on July 9 also yielded very positive discussions.

"This time as well, we have taken a step forward, and our discussions were fruitful," he stated.

Last November, the Punjab Chief Minister had accused various states, including Haryana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh, of infringing upon Punjab's rights during a Northern Zonal Council meeting.

Mann emphasized that those who raise concerns over river waters must recognize the importance of assessing the actual availability of river resources. He stated that every other state is unjustly seeking a share of Punjab's rights. He firmly declared that the government is committed to safeguarding Punjab's interests, leaving no stone unturned in that pursuit. The Chief Minister critiqued Haryana's peculiar demand that Punjab halt the construction of mini-hydro projects on the Bhakra Main Line (BML), asserting that such requests were unfounded and not based on facts.