Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. The move has been strongly opposed by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Mann has said that he will not tolerate “robbery” on Punjab’s rights.
The decision to release water for Haryana was taken in a five -hour -long meeting of the BBMB Technical Committee on Wednesday evening.
BBMB controls the distribution of water from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are its partner states that meet their water requirement for various purposes including irrigation from Bhakra and Pong Dams.
Sources said that during the BBMB meeting, the Punjab government officials raised strong objections to the release of more water to Haryana and claimed that the neighboring state had already used its share of water.
Punjab government officials also argued that the water level in Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams is lower than last year.
Sources said that during the meeting, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -ruled Rajasthan officials also supported Haryana’s demand.
Reacting to the BBMB’s decision, Chief Minister Mann strongly protested against the move to provide 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
Mann said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’, “Punjab strongly opposed the decision to give the rights of Punjab and Punjabis to Haryana through BBMB. The BJP government of the Center and Haryana has united against Punjab. We will not tolerate ‘robbery’ once again on our rights by the BJP at any cost. BJP was ready to face opposition. BJP can never belong to Punjab and Punjabis. ”
He posted that another dirty trick is going on by the BJP’s central government about the water of Punjab, we will not let it succeed at any cost.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to protest against the BJP for allegedly watering Haryana.
Mann refused to give more water to Haryana on Tuesday, saying that the neighboring state has already used 103 percent of the allotted part for itself.
Mann also accused the BJP of pressurizing the Punjab government to meet the demand for Haryana through BBMB.
Mann had said that Haryana has used its share of water in March and is now demanding additional water for April and May.
He had said that Punjab needs water for the upcoming paddy sowing season and it does not have a single drop of water.
He said that this year BBMB has distributed 33.18 crore acre feet (MAF), 2.987 MAF and 5.512 MAF water to Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab respectively.
Mann said that Haryana used its share of water till 31 March this year, after which a crisis arose.
He said that as a humanity, the Punjab government generously allocated 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana daily from April 6.
Many AAP leaders also criticized that the BBMB decided to release Haryana water due to the “arm twisting” of the BJP.
Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister and AAP Punjab unit president Aman Arora said, “We are ready to sacrifice any sacrifice against the BJP and the Central Government to force the BBMB’s arm and force Haryana to release an additional 8500 cusecs of water from the part of Punjab.” BJP’s’ hooliganism ‘will be given a befitting reply.’
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP -led Center of “cheating” Punjab again.
Cheema alleged, “By giving more water to Haryana, the BJP government has given evidence of being anti -Punjab.”
