Restrained from releasing water to Haryana, BBMB chief tells HC

Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) chairman Manoj Tripathi on Thursday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that board officials were prevented from releasing water to Haryana by Punjab Police.

Tripathi, who joined court proceedings through video conferencing at 4pm on Thursday, told the high court bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sumeet Goel that he had sent two officials to release 200 cusecs of more water to Haryana. But officials were prevented from doing so by the police.

“On Thursday morning, I myself went to Nangal dam, where I was gheraoed by a mob of around 200. I was put up at a guest house by police saying that environment was not conducive. I was kept there for around three hours saying that officials will come to meet me,” he told the court, adding that the BBMB has been restrained from releasing more water to Haryana as directed by the court on May 6.

The submissions were made during hearing of an application moved by the Matana gram panchayat in Haryana seeking directions to Punjab to release the chairman and officers the BBMB from the illegal detention.

The application was moved on Thursday morning, when the chairman was putting up at the guest house. The plea also demanded initiation of contempt proceedings against officials of Punjab for wilful disobedience and obstruction in the compliance of high court order on release of water. It further demanded that central forces/CISF be handed over the security of the Bhakra-Nangal dam and Lohan control room water regulation.

The petitioner was also a party in the case, which was disposed of on May 6 wherein the court had restrained the Punjab government from interfering in the board’s work in Nangal. The court had also asked the BBMB to implement the May 2 order of the Union home ministry for releasing more water to Haryana.

The home ministry had told the Punjab government to release 4,500 cusecs of surplus water to Haryana for eight days, as was agreed in a BBMB meeting with the partner states on April 23. The court had also said if Punjab did not agree with the Centre’s decision of providing a total of 8,500 cusecs a day of surplus water as sought by Haryana, then it could approach the Centre.

The high court, while posting the matter for hearing on May 9, has asked the chairman to file an affidavit about the incident reported on Thursday and further how the BBMB was prevented from release of water.

Earlier, Punjab had told the court the chairman was not detained and was kept at a guest house as a mob was protesting at the site.

The controversy started on April 28 when Haryana demanded 8,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra dam, which was approved by the BBMB. However, Punjab refused to accept the decision and deployed police at the Nangal dam, 13km downstream from Bhakra, to stop the additional water release. Union home ministry directed on May 2 that additional water be released to Haryana. However, the order could not be complied with as Punjab police prevented board officials from doing so, as per the BBMB.