Punjab and Haryana Dispute Over New Assembly Building in Chandigarh

Sub : Polity

Sec : Federalism

Why in News

The long-standing conflict between Punjab and Haryana over the shared capital, Chandigarh, has resurfaced due to recent developments involving the construction of a new Assembly building for Haryana in the Union Territory.

Background:

Chandigarh serves as the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana, and it has been a point of contention since the separation of the two states in 1966. The existing Punjab and Haryana Assembly complexes are currently housed in the same building within
The dispute was reignited after the Central Government reportedly approved the allocation of 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana. This land is intended for the construction of an additional Assembly building for Haryana.
In response to the Central Government’s decision, a delegation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), submitted a memorandum asserting Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh and expressed firm opposition to Haryana’s request for land. Punjab’s representatives emphasized their intention to protect Punjab’s rights over the city.
Haryana Chief Minister responded by asserting Haryana’s right to Chandigarh, urging Punjab’s leaders to refrain from political disputes over the new Assembly building.

Chandigarh:

Chandigarh serves as the shared capital of both Punjab and Haryana since the reorganization of Punjab in 1966.
Chandigarh is a Union Territory and is directly administered by the Central Government of India.
The Punjab Reorganization Act of 1966 bifurcated Punjab and established Chandigarh as the shared capital of the newly formed Haryana and residual Punjab.
Despite being the capital of two states, Chandigarh does not fall under the jurisdiction of either Punjab or Haryana; it remains under Central administration.
The Governor of Punjab also serves as the Administrator of Chandigarh, linking the Union Territory administratively to Punjab.
Punjab has asserted constitutional and historical rights over Chandigarh, arguing that it was initially developed as its capital post-partition in 1947.
Haryana maintains its legal and constitutional right to share Chandigarh as the capital, following the 1966 bifurcation agreement.
As a Union Territory, Chandigarh is governed by the provisions of Article 239 of the Indian Constitution, granting the Central Government administrative powers.
Both Punjab and Haryana hold their Legislative Assemblies in Chandigarh, reflecting its dual capital status.

SYL Water Controversy:

Alongside the dispute over the Assembly building, the decades-old Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue resurfaced. This canal is meant to provide Haryana with its share of river water from Punjab, a contentious topic between the two states.

Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal:

The canal, once completed, will enable sharing of the waters of the rivers Ravi and Beas between Haryana and Punjab.
Haryana will get its share of Ravi and Beas waters by diverting equal amount of Sutlej water towards Haryana.
The Satluj Yamuna Link Canal is a proposed 214-kilometre-long canal connecting Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.
It is a 214-km canal, 122 km of which was to run through Punjab and the rest through Haryana.
Haryana has completed its side of the canal, but work in Punjab has been hanging fire for over three decades.
Water resources are under the State List, while the Parliament has the power to make laws regarding inter-state rivers under the Union List.

Sutlej:

The ancient name of Sutlej River is Zaradros (Ancient Greek) Shutudri or Shatadru (Sanskrit).
It is the longest of the five tributaries of the Indus Riverthat give the Punjab (meaning “Five Rivers”) its name.
Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Satluj are main tributaries of Indus.
It rises on the north slope of the Himalayas in Lake La’nga in southwestern Tibet.
Flowing northwestward and then west-southwestward through Himalayan gorges, it enters and crosses Himachal Pradesh before beginning its flow through the Punjab plain near Nangal.
Continuing southwestward in a broad channel, it receives the Beas River (and forms 65 miles of the India-Pakistan border before entering Pakistan and flowing another 220 miles to join the Chenab River west of Bahawalpur.

Yamuna:

The river Yamuna, a major tributary of river Ganges, originates from the Yamunotri glacier near Bandarpoonch peaks in the Mussoorie range of the lower Himalayas at an elevation of about 6387 meters above mean sea level in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
It meets the Ganges at the Sangam (where Kumbh mela is held) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh after flowing through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.
Length: 1376 km
Important Dam: Lakhwar-Vyasi Dam (Uttarakhand), Tajewala Barrage Dam (Haryana) etc.
Important Tributaries: Chambal, Sindh, Betwa and Ken (Right bank).