Punjab-Haryana Water War: Haryana Calls All-Party Meet Amid Centre Intervention & Punjab’s Firm ‘No Water’ Stance

Punjab-Haryana Water War: Haryana Calls All-Party Meet Amid Centre Intervention & Punjab’s Firm ‘No Water’ Stance

Amid escalating tension, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab claims the BJP is conspiring against the state, its farmers, and people in this dispute.

By RMN News Service

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has called an all-party meeting for Saturday (May 3) in Chandigarh. The aim is to build a political consensus on the state’s ongoing dispute with Punjab over the allocation of Bhakra waters. This announcement on Friday (May 2) follows a similar meeting held by the AAP government in Punjab hours earlier. The Punjab meeting saw parties uniting on the issue and contemplating a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Centre has intervened in the escalating water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan advised carrying out the decision of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to release 4,500 cusecs of extra water daily from Bhakra Dams to Haryana for the next eight days.

This directive was given to meet Haryana’s urgent water requirements. Following this advice, the BBMB has convened an urgent meeting for Saturday (May 3) at 5 pm. The Centre’s meeting in New Delhi took place after Punjab consistently refused to release water to Haryana, prompting the central government’s intervention. The Union home secretary directed BBMB to work out modalities for the extra water release to Haryana despite strong objections from the Punjab government. Punjab maintains it has no surplus water to share.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has declared his government will not release any additional water to Haryana. He asserts that Haryana has already utilised its allocated water share. Mann claimed that Haryana used its share by March 31 and is now seeking additional water for April and May. Amid escalating tension, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab claims the BJP is conspiring against the state, its farmers, and people in this dispute.

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Chief Minister Mann recently visited the Nangal dam in Rupnagar district, where state minister Harjot Singh Bains and AAP workers staged a ‘dharna’. Reports indicate Bains locked a room at the dam that regulates water supply. The row intensified after the BBMB decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana during a meeting. Punjab strongly objected to this BBMB move, arguing that Haryana has already used 103 per cent of its allocated water share.

Speaking at the Nangal dam on May 1, Mann described the issue as “very serious,” highlighting that Punjab is currently facing a water crisis. He noted that water levels at key dams – Bhakra, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar – are lower than they were at the same time last year. Mann accused the BJP-ruled states of Haryana and Rajasthan of engaging in ‘gundagardi‘ (thuggery) and ‘tanashahi‘ (dictatorship). He alleged they were colluding to reach the decision to give more water to Haryana and questioned how they could bypass Punjab to take water without their agreement.

The Chief Minister stated that Haryana officials have admitted to using the state’s water share by March. “Not even a single drop of water will be given. We do not have water. Do not expect water from us,” Mann stated emphatically. He also accused the BJP of pressuring the Punjab government through the BBMB to meet Haryana’s demands. Mann emphasised that Punjab requires water for the upcoming paddy sowing season and has no surplus to spare.

He provided figures for water distribution this year by the BBMB: Rajasthan received 3.318 million acre feet (MAF), Haryana 2.987 MAF, and Punjab 5.512 MAF. Mann reiterated that Haryana’s share was used by March 31, leading to the crisis. However, he noted that as a humanitarian gesture, Punjab generously provided 4,000 cusecs of water daily to Haryana from April 6. A special Assembly session to discuss the water issue may be held in Punjab.