Punjab CM Mann pushes for Chenab water diversion to resolve water row with Haryana

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday urged the Centre to utilise the waters of the Chenab River to resolve the long-standing Punjab–Haryana water dispute and shelve the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.

Speaking at a meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti minister C R Patil, Mann said that with the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, India could now divert Chenab water to dams such as Ranjit Sagar, Pong and Bhakra. New canals and infrastructure, to be built in Punjab, could first serve the state’s needs before supplying Haryana and Rajasthan.

Mann stressed that Chenab water would reduce Punjab’s dependence on groundwater, revive surface irrigation and aid farmers. He called for priority allocation of western river waters to Punjab, along with new upstream dams to enhance storage.

The CM proposed that the Sharda–Yamuna Link and diversion of Chenab water to the Beas via the Rohtang tunnel could remove the need for the SYL canal. Surplus Yamuna water could meet Haryana’s requirements and also benefit Delhi and Rajasthan.

Mann argued that Haryana has unaccounted supplies from several rivers and drains, while Punjab faces severe depletion—115 of its 153 blocks are over-exploited. The state, he said, contributes heavily to national food grain stocks but has only 26.75 MAF water against a need of 52 MAF.

He warned that the SYL is an emotive issue that could trigger law and order problems. Land for the canal is unavailable, and Punjab already allocates 60% of its river water to non-riparian states.

Mann called for reviewing water agreements every 25 years in line with international norms, pointing out that Punjab is riparian to the Yamuna and thus entitled to its share, similar to Haryana’s claim on Ravi–Beas waters. He reiterated that Punjab has enacted the 2004 “Punjab Termination of Agreements Act” to end the 1981 surplus Ravi–Beas water agreement.