All-party meet in Haryana asks Punjab govt to release water 'unconditionally', Punjab skips BBMB meeting

Chandigarh: The stand-off between Punjab and Haryana over water sharing intensified on Saturday as an all-party meeting in Haryana asked the AAP government in the neighbouring state to unconditionally release the water from Bhakra dam and the Punjab government skipped a Bhakra Beas Management Board meeting on the issue.

This came a day after an all-party meeting in Punjab backed the state government's refusal to release more water to BJP-ruled Haryana.

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan had chaired a high-level meeting on Friday in Delhi and advised to carry out the BBMB's decision to release 4,500 cusecs of extra water from Bhakra dams to Haryana for the next eight days to meet the state's urgent water requirements.

The BBMB regulates water distribution from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams and decides the annual quota of water supply to the three partnering states -- Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan -- for a yearly cycle from May 21 to May 21 each year.

The Board called a meeting on Saturday evening to work out the modalities for the release of extra water to Haryana but the Punjab government sought an adjournment citing an Assembly session on May 5 to discuss the water row.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, after chairing the all-party meeting on Saturday, hit out at the Punjab government, saying not following the Board's direction to release water was "unconstitutional, inhuman" and an attack on the federal structure of the Constitution. He also suggested that the Punjab government's actions were linked to the defeat of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.

"The all-party meeting decided that the Mann government should release water immediately and unconditionally," Saini said at a press conference flanked by leaders from various parties who attended the meet.

A resolution was passed at the meeting in which an appeal was made to the Punjab government that the decisions of Bhakra Beas Management Board's (BBMB) technical committee dated April 23 and April 30 should be implemented forthwith.

While vowing to protect the state's rights, Saini asserted that "our path is not of confrontation, but of cooperation" and urged the Bhagwant Mann government to "understand the pain of the neighbour".

"They should immediately remove the inhuman, unconstitutional, illegal and inappropriate bar on the release of water. We resolve to ensure it and the construction of the SYL canal. We are ready to fight any legal battle," Saini said.

"They have cut drinking water. All parties have expressed a strong reaction to this. All parties said they will work unitedly to protect state's interests, not just as Haryana political parties, but as Indians who have deep faith in federal structure and brotherhood, " said Saini and urged the people of both states to maintain peace.

Among the leaders present in the meeting were Haryana's Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Shruti Choudhry, Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, Energy Minister Anil Vij, State BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, Congress's Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state Congress chief Udai Bhan, JJP's Dushyant Chautala, INLD's Rampal Majra and AAP's Sushil Gupta.

"It is surprising that when AAP was in power in Delhi, it did not have any objection to water supply to Delhi. But when they lost in Delhi, the Mann government has shut its eyes on the water crisis in Delhi," Saini said.

It seems that they are trying to avenge the people of Delhi and also trying to harass the Haryana people, he alleged.

The Bhagwant Mann government "is stopping Haryana's water in an unconstitutional manner. Mann has taken oath under the Constitution, but he is doing unconstitutional work," Saini alleged.

"This water belongs to the entire country... Even today the problem is not as big as is being projected by the Mann government," he said.

The BBMB's technical committee on April 23 decided to release 8,500 cusecs to Haryana and a proposal in this regard was passed at the April 30 meeting.

He said that the BBMB is a constitutional body and does not discriminate against any state.

Saini claimed that as against the allotted share of 12.55 million acre-feet (MAF), Haryana was getting 10.67 MAF. Whereas Punjab was getting 17.15 MAF as against the allotted share of 14.67 MAF.

Saini also raised the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, saying that because of its non-construction, Haryana was getting 1.82 MAF out of the allotted 3.5 MAF.

He accused Mann of trying to mislead people by twisting facts and claimed that many places in Haryana were facing a water crisis.

On Mann's statement that Haryana should thank Punjab for giving 4,000 cusecs, Saini said he was rubbing salt in our wounds.

"Haryana never demands more than its right," he said and rejected the Mann government's claims that Haryana utilised its share of water by March 31.

Haryana had been getting its full share of water even in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 when the water level of the dam was quite low, said Saini.

"Haryana never sought more than its share. BBMB, which is an independent body, has decided Haryana's quota, but the Mann government has refused to agree with it. This is not just injustice with Haryana, but a direct attack on India's federal structure by the Mann government," Saini said.

"If Mann's government remains adamant, then under the provisions in our Constitution, we will protect our rights. But we want to say that our path is not of confrontation, but of cooperation. We appeal to the Mann government that it should adopt the path of love and brotherhood with Haryana," he said.

Haryana wants to move shoulder-to-shoulder with Punjab, but for this, they also have to understand the pain of their neighbour. "To protect our country's federal structure is our collective responsibility," said Saini.

Saini reminded Mann that Haryana did not get less than 9,000 cusecs of water in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Out of Haryana's water, Rajasthan gets 800 cusecs and Delhi gets 500 cusecs, he said.

In the last three years, Haryana was getting an average of 9,727 cusecs in 2022, 9,850 cusecs in 2023 and 10,067 cusecs in 2024.

After AAP lost elections in Delhi, the drinking water supply was reduced, he claimed. "Why do you put the blame (for poll loss) on Haryana people? It will also impact on those people (in Delhi) who voted for you," said Saini.

He stressed that the water issue should be resolved through talks.

Punjab police taking the keys of the Nangal dam in its hands shows not only disapproval of the administrative decision but also poses a challenge to the constitutional system, he said.

Asked as to what action the Haryana government was contemplating, he said, "All options are open for us. We will wait for the result of Saturday's BBMB meeting."

"If the need arises we will meet the Centre and if the need arises to convene an Assembly session, we will do so," said Saini in response to a question.

Replying to a query, AAP's Sushil Gupta said the prime minister should be approached to find a solution to the water issue.

"We are with the chief minister. We are in support of Haryana's people and their interests and we will do whatever is required to ensure water to the people of Haryana.

"Go to the PM and water which goes to Pakistan, should be stopped," he said.