Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil convened a meeting in New Delhi on 9 July with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to discuss the long-pending Sutlej–Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. The talks were held at Shram Shakti Bhawan after a broader review session on smart river management chaired by the minister. Mann told reporters the SYL matter "has been pending in the Supreme Court for a long time" and said the parties had a "detailed and good discussion." Saini echoed the sentiment, adding that all participants agreed the dispute "should be resolved" and voiced confidence that "good results will come out of it." While no timeline or settlement terms were announced, Paatil praised the "collaborative spirit" and technological focus of the deliberations. The SYL canal, conceived to transfer river water from Punjab to Haryana, has been at the centre of an interstate water-sharing dispute for decades and remains under judicial scrutiny.