The Supreme Court today did not allow a plea of Haryana to "lift' water from the Bhakra main line (BML)canal and pump it into the Hansi-Butana. The stay on puncturing the BML to connect the Hansi-Butana canal will continue and the matter will be now heard on July 18. Notably Haryana had submitted a proposal in the apex court to lift 500 cusecs of water through pumping and send it down the Hansi-Butana canal. This is a significant move as by-elections are due in Haryana on May 22. In its point wise reply, Punjab today contended that Haryana was not even using the entire capacity of the Narwana branch connecting the BML. This has a capacity to carry about 4,000 cusecs of water and on an average it is running at no more than 2,000 cusecs since the past 45 days or so. Haryana could very well run additional water from its share of the Bhakra projects through the Narwana branch and use the same for drinking water or the purposes it desires, claimed the counsel for Punjab. On May 14, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan asked counsel for various parties if water could be taken out of the Bhakra canal for the newly constructed Hansi-Butana canal without puncturing the banks of the BML. Rajasthan is also a party to the suit and is opposing the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal. Haryana had earlier pleaded before the Bench that the Hansi-Butana canal had a capacity to carry 2,086 cusecs, half of which was meant for drinking water in the arid southern districts of the state. Haryana pleaded that it should be allowed to carry at least 500 cusecs of water for drinking purposes through the canal during the summer months. Today Punjab countered this by asking as to why not use the available capacity of the Narwana branch instead of seeking to lift water from the BML and pumping it into the Hansi-Butana. Some two weeks ago, the Supreme Court decided to re-examine the issue of the Hansi-Butana canal in Haryana after Punjab and Rajasthan pleaded that the Central Water Commission (CWC) had complicated the matter instead of giving a solution to the issue.