The Punjab Government has refused to release extra water from the Bhakra dam to Haryana. In response, the Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has called an emergency meeting in Delhi on Friday with top officials from Punjab, Haryana, and other states involved in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
The issue began after BBMB decided to give Haryana 8,500 cusecs more water. Punjab says Haryana has already used up its allowed share of water for the year. Punjab also says it gave 4,000 cusecs to Haryana on humanitarian grounds in April and can’t give more as its own farmers are suffering from water shortage.
On the other hand, Haryana claims it needs water for drinking in areas like Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa. Its Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini says the state has been receiving extra water for years.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has called for an all-party meeting on Friday and a special session in the state assembly on Monday. He accuses the BBMB and the BJP-led governments in Haryana and Rajasthan of acting unfairly and trying to take Punjab’s water illegally. Many farmer groups in Punjab are also against giving extra water to Haryana.
There was also a controversy over BBMB staff. Punjab officer Akashdeep Singh was removed as Director of Water Regulation and replaced by a Haryana officer, Sanjeev Kumar. But the water could not be released due to technical issues and confusion about his joining location.
To calm the situation, BBMB transferred its Secretary Surinder Mittal, a Haryana officer, and appointed officers from Rajasthan and Punjab instead.
The situation remains tense, and both legal and political actions are being planned by the Punjab Government.
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