Chandigarh, July 11 -- The central government has granted another extension for a year to the Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal constituted in 1986 for verification and adjudication of claims regarding quantum of water usage and shares of Punjab and Haryana in the remaining waters as per para 9.1 and 9.2 of Rajiv Longowal Memorandum of Settlement (Accord) of July 24, 1985. The Tribunal was constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. "The central government, keeping in view the exigencies of the work involved, as pointed out by the Tribunal, considers it necessary to extend the said period for one year from August 5, 2025. In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 5 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, the Central government hereby further extends the period within which the Tribunal may forward its report on the references so made to till August 5, 2026," reads a July 9 notification by Union Jal Shakti ministry. After the reorganisation of the erstwhile Punjab into the two separate states of Punjab and Haryana on November 1, 1966, disputes arose between the two states with regards to sharing of the surplus Ravi-Beas waters. Haryana laid claim to 4.8 million acre feet (MAF) of water out of 7.2 MAF (composite Punjab's entitlement) on the principle of equitable distribution. Punjab, however, decided not to give anything to Haryana taking the plea that the latter was not a riparian state (a state located on the bank of a river). The central government then tried to resolve the dispute by passing a statutory order on March 24, 1976 under Punjab Reorganisation Act allocating 3.5 MAF of surplus Ravi-Beas waters to Haryana out of the total 7.2 MAF share of surplus Ravi Beas waters of erstwhile Punjab. For carrying Haryana's share in the surplus Ravi Beas waters, a link canal-the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal-was planned to be constructed in the territories of Punjab and Haryana. Haryana on its part started construction of the SYL canal in its territories towards the end of 1976 and completed it in June 1980. Upset at the decision, the Punjab government moved the Supreme Court against the centre's decision. The Haryana government too moved the apex court seeking implementation of the centre's decision. Construction of the SYL canal in Punjab territory was taken up by the Punjab government in 1982 but stopped in 1990 after completion of about 90% work....