Water row: BBMB to release water to Haryana, CM Mann says won't tolerate robbery of Punjab's rights

Chandigarh: The BBMB has decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, a move which drew strong opposition from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who said that they will not tolerate "robbery" of Punjab's rights.

The decision to release water to Haryana was taken in a five-hour-long meeting of the technical committee of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on Wednesday evening.

The BBMB regulates water distribution from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are the partnering states that meet their requirement for different purposes, including irrigation, from Bhakra and Pong dams.

During the BBMB meeting, the Punjab government officials strongly objected to the release of more water to Haryana, claiming that the neighbouring state has already utilized its share of water, said sources.

The Punjab government officials had also argued that the water level in the Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams was less than that of last year.

During the meeting, the officials of BJP-ruled Rajasthan also came out in support of Haryana's demand, sources said.

Reacting to the BBMB decision, Chief Minister Mann on Thursday strongly opposed the move of giving 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.

"The entire Punjab strongly opposes the decision to give water, which is the right of Punjab and Punjabis, to Haryana through BBMB. The BJP government of the Centre and Haryana have united against Punjab. We will not tolerate another robbery of our rights by the BJP at any cost. BJP should be ready to face opposition. The BJP can never be of Punjab and Punjabis," said Mann in a post on X.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party decided to hold protests against the BJP across the state for allegedly giving water to Haryana.

On Tuesday, Mann refused the release of more water to Haryana, stating that the neighbouring state has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share.

Mann had also accused the BJP of exerting pressure on the Punjab government through the BBMB to meet Haryana's demand.

Mann had said Haryana utilised its share of water in March and was now seeking additional water for April and May. He had said Punjab needs water for the upcoming paddy sowing season and there was not a single surplus drop to spare.

He had said that this year, the BBMB had distributed 3.318 million acre-feet (MAF), 2.987 MAF and 5.512 MAF of water to Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab respectively.

Haryana had used its share of water by March 31 this year after which the crisis had arisen, Mann had said.

He had said as a humanitarian gesture, the Punjab government generously allotted 4,000 cusecs of water daily to Haryana from April 6.

Several AAP leaders too chided the BJP for allegedly "arm-twisting" the BBMB to decide on releasing water to Haryana.

Cabinet minister and Punjab AAP unit president Aman Arora said, "We are ready to make any sacrifice against the decision by the BJP and the Central government to twist BBMB's arm and force Haryana, to release an additional 8500 cusecs of water from Punjab's share. The BJP's 'gundagardi' (thuggery) will be met with a befitting response." Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP-led Centre of again "betraying" Punjab.

"By giving more water to Haryana, the BJP government has proved to be anti-Punjab," alleged Cheema.