New Delhi,

Chief Minister ML Khattar along with a delegation, including his Cabinet ministers, met new Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari here today and urged him to intervene to ensure the expeditious completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal project.

The delegation comprised of Capt Abhimanyu, Ram Bilas Sharma, OP Dhankar and Anil Vij, state BJP president Subhash Barala, Union Minister for Steel Choudhary Birender Sigh, Bhiwani MP Dharmveer and senior party leader Ganeshi Lal. Haryana Chief Secretary DS Dhesi accompanied them. The meeting lasted for half an hour.

Khattar said during the meeting that the SYL canal project is the life-line of Haryana, which is parched. “The state is facing water shortage and farmers are the worst affected. The SYL canal was devised to channel Haryana’s share of waters of rivers in Punjab with the good offices of the Union Government,” he said.

A brief historical sketch of the project was presented to Gadkari. The construction work on the project in Haryana had long been completed, but the stretch in Punjab was hanging fire.

The delegation said the Presidential reference and the SC’s verdict were also in the state’s favour. “Justice to people of Haryana has already been delayed,” it added.

The delegation urged Gadkari for his personal intervention. Khattar said Gadkari assured them of positively considering Haryana’s interests.