Chandigarh, Aug. 6 -- The fifth round of talks between the Centre, Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday to resolve the decades-old Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute remained inconclusive. The crucial meeting, held in New Delhi between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini and Union jal shakti minister CR Patil, came ahead of the Supreme Court hearing in the matter on August 13. Batting for Yamuna-Sutlej Link (YSL) canal, Mann said the central government must shelve the SYL canal. "Punjab should get Yamuna water too. For this, the long-conceived Sarda-Yamuna Link project needs to be taken up on priority. The Centre must ensure diversion of Chenab water to Beas river to eliminate the need for the SYL canal," he said. The May 12, 1994 memorandum of understanding for allocation of Yamuna waters between Delhi, UP, HP and Rajasthan is to be reviewed after 2025, Mann said. "Punjab should be included as a partner state of Yamuna waters allocations," he suggested. Mann said Haryana has enough scope to get additional waters from other sources which also needs to be accounted for, adding that the neighbouring state is receiving 2.703 million acre foot (MAF) from Ghaggar, Tangri, Markanda, Saraswati, Chautang-Rakshi, Nai Nalah, Sahibi, Krishna Duhan and Landoha Nalah. The Punjab CM said that land for the SYL canal is not available as of today. "Also, out of 34.34 MAF water of three rivers, Punjab was allocated only 14.22 MAF, which is 40%. "The remaining 60% water was allocated to Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, even though none of these rivers actually flow through these states," he said. While Saini at a post-meeting briefing said Haryana will present its case in a solution-oriented manner before the apex court on August 13, Mann reiterated that the central government should divert the water of Chenab river to Ranjit Sagar, Pong and Bhakra dams so that it can be utilised to resolve long-pending water dispute between the two states. "Using Chenab water will reduce Punjab's dependence on groundwater and revive surface irrigation supporting the peasantry," said Mann, restating Punjab's stance that it was facing severe groundwater depletion. The Punjab CM said during the July 9 meeting, the central government had informed that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan had been suspended. The development has created an opportunity for India to utilise water from Chenab, Mann said. Saini, on the other hand, said the Indus Waters Treaty was a separate subject and in this context Rajasthan will also be entitled to its share of water. "We are confident that a fair and favourable resolution will be achieved. The last round of talks had already indicated a positive shift. This time, we have moved a step further. The discussions were held in an even more constructive environment," the Haryana CM said. The SC on May 6 had directed the two states to cooperate with the central government in arriving at an amicable solution to the dispute. "In case the issue is not resolved amicably between the parties, we propose to take up the matter on August 13, 2025," the apex court had said. Haryana government is pressing for the implementation of apex court's orders to complete the remaining portion of the canal by Punjab. The top court in its January 15, 2002 and June 4, 2004 judgments had ordered completion of the remaining portion of canal in Punjab territory. Conceived in 1978 to bring Haryana's share of Ravi-Beas water, the proposed 212-kilometre long SYL canal consisted of two segments, a 91-kilometre channel in Haryana and a 121 kilometre carrier channel in Punjab. Haryana completed its portion of the channel in 1979 at a cost of Rs 56 crore, but Punjab has failed to complete the canal in its territory despite Supreme Court directions....