Haryana seeking rightful share of Sutlej water from Punjab: CM Saini on BBMB row
Haryana chief minister slams Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for politicising BBMB decision as Haryana is only seeking its share as stipulated in existing agreements; clarifies water needed for drinking, not irrigation.
Amid escalating tension with Punjab after Haryana demanded an additional 8,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra dam, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini while strongly condemning Punjab leaders for politicising the water issue, advised them to refrain from engaging in “petty politics.”
Saini made these remarks while interacting with media personnel in Panchkula after attending the Quality Assurance Conclave organised by the Quality Assurance Authority.
“Punjab is the land of the Gurus, and we bow to them. Work for the welfare of Punjab’s people. Haryana was once a part of Punjab and emerged from there. Such low-level politics is not beneficial for anyone,” Saini stated.
Nayab Singh Saini assured, “As the head of Haryana, I guarantee that if the people of Punjab ever need drinking water, we will install tubewells, extract water from our groundwater, and provide it to them. I assure you that no person in Punjab will remain thirsty.”
The chief minister asserted that, based on historical records, Haryana is only requesting the water it has consistently received. “Water is a natural resource. If this political maneuvering continues, the water will be wasted and flow into Pakistan, which has been shedding the blood of our unarmed citizens,” said Nayab Singh Saini.
Saini reiterated that Haryana is only asking for the share of water it previously received, nothing more. “We are also seeking the SYL water as per the agreement. The Supreme Court has ruled that this is our right,” he concluded.
On the Aam Aadmi Party government convening a special session of the assembly on May 5 and the Punjab chief minister chairing an all-party meeting in Chandigarh. Political parties in Punjab put up a joint front on the issue at the all-party meeting. Punjab AAP chief Aman Arora, state BJP president Sunil Jakhar, Congress’s Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana K P Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Daljit Singh Cheema and Balwinder Singh Bhunder were among the leaders who attended the meet.
On Thursday, Mann hit out at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) for its decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, saying such “robbery” of Punjab’s rights will not be tolerated and that the board has no right to dictate matters related to his state. He asserted that the AAP government would not allow the release of more water to the neighbouring state, claiming it has already utilised its share. He visited the Nangal dam in Rupnagar district, where AAP minister Harjot Singh Bains and party workers staged a dharna in protest against the BBMB’s decision of giving water to Haryana.
Punjab Police beefed up security at the Nangal dam, situated downstream of Bhakra dam in Rupnagar district, as part of security review arrangements. Bains said they have taken control over the Nangal dam and the room from where the water supply is regulated has been locked, and its key given to the police.
The controversy erupted after the BBMB meet on Wednesday over the issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana, with the AAP government in the border state refusing to release more water to the BJP-ruled Haryana. The BBMB’s decision came despite the Punjab government’s strong objection, as it claimed that the neighbouring state has already utilised 103% of its allocated share of water.
Referring to the BBMB meeting, Mann accused BJP-ruled Haryana and Rajasthan of indulging in ‘gundagardi’ (thuggery), ‘tanashahi’ (dictatorship) and collusion to get more water from the BBMB. “They (Haryana and Rajasthan) voted in support of the decision when 60% of the BBMB is ours. The final decision is to be taken by Punjab. How could they bypass Punjab and take water? Punjab did not sign (that decision),” Mann said.
Haryana, he said, utilised its share of water in March and was now seeking additional water for April and May and added that Punjab needs water for the paddy sowing season and there was not a single surplus drop to spare.
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.
