Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has welcomed the initiative taken by Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for political solution of the water dispute between the two states. Stating this here last evening, Badal said he welcomed the initiative of the Haryana government and the Punjab government was ready to sit together and solve the issue.

Hooda had expressed  desire to solve the water issue with Punjab at a function held at Gurgaon yesterday.

The disputes relating to the Hansi Butana canal, Dashmesh Canal, Sutlej Yamuna Canal have been pending between the two states for past many years.

The deputy CM said the then government in Punjab headed by Capt Amarinder Singh in 2004 annulled all agreements between the two states by bringing an Act.