Punjab-Haryana Row Erupts Over Bhakra-Beas Water Quota After Haryana Exhausts Annual Share

Chandigarh: A fresh row over the river waters distribution between Punjab and Haryana seems to be brewing at a time when India and Pakistan are at loggerheads over Indus-Waters Treaty post-April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed.

Accusing BJP government of pressuring Punjab to divert ``extra’’ water to Haryana through Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday took to X to attack the BJP-led Central government, accusing it of attempt to pressurise Punjab into releasing spare water to Haryana, which he held, had already exhausted its annual quota.

He held that Punjab does not have a drop of water to spare as its own paddy season is round the corner; he held that Haryana has exhausted its quota of May 21-to- May 21-annual cycle of river water distribution.

Terming it to be another ``conspiracy’’ of BJP against Punjab, Mann alleged that BJP government is trying to pressurise Punjab through BBMB to give more water to Haryana though Haryana had exhausted its share under water-sharing agreement under which Punjab allocates water to Haryana and Rajasthan from May 21 to May 21 each year. He held that this year Haryana had already exhausted its quota by end of March and yet it was demanding more for April and May.

Mann also took a dig at previous governments and quipped that earlier there were no transparency in the system of the distribution of the river waters as to which state used how much water as the political parties colluded with each other while now Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has streamlined the canal system.

Highlighting the growing demand of water for irrigation in Punajb, Mann said the state does not have even a drop of water to spare for Haryana when Punjab’s own farmers are in need. Yet, Punjab has given 4,000 cusecs of water on humanitarian grounds, he held.

Asking Centre to stop politicalise the issue and pressurise the state, Mann went on to suggest the Centre that instead of pressurising Punjab, the Centre should focus on diverting the water which earlier went to Pakistan, with which Punjab could fill its dams and subsequently share it with other states.