{Water-sharing row} House to pass resolution to safeguard Punjab’s interests at special session

A one-day session of the Punjab assembly to be held on Monday is likely to pass a resolution against “hampering Punjab’s interest” by forcing it to give surplus water to Haryana. The session comes amid a heated political debate over the distribution of water from the Bhakra dam to partner states.

Officials aware of the matter said the resolution is also expected to demand appointment of officials/engineers from Punjab on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in the proportion decided in the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966. The BBMB, controlled by the Union Jal Shakti ministry, regulates water distribution from the Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams.

The House is expected to reject Haryana’s demand for surplus water and may also demand that distribution of water from the state dams and rivers between the partner states be reworked due to a fall in water level in these dams over the past years.

“The details of the resolution cannot be revealed but our government will touch upon all aspects and issues related to division of water from Punjab’s dams and rivers with the neighbouring states. Our government is very clear that not a drop of surplus water will flow into Haryana,” said Aman Arora, cabinet minister and state unit president of the Aam Aadmi Party.

The Punjab government on Saturday boycotted the BBMB meeting on the water-sharing row, with the state’s water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal calling it “unconstitutional. The meeting was held on Saturday evening a day after the Centre advised Punjab to release extra water to Haryana after the former refused to do so.

The Union home ministry on Friday told BBMB to go ahead with the release of an additional 4,500 cusecs of water to Haryana for the next eight days from Saturday despite vehement protests by Punjab. The demand for additional water was raised by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on April 28.

Representatives from Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan —the four partner states of BBMB — attended the Friday’s meeting.

While Rajasthan and representatives of the BBMB lent support to Haryana’s demand of 8,500 cusecs in the special board meeting, Himachal Pradesh abstained, said a BBMB official, who did not want to be identified.

“It was also agreed that during the filling period of dams, BBMB will provide this excess water to Punjab to fulfil any additional requirements,” a home ministry spokesperson had said. As a consequence, Punjab is expected to place a fresh requirement as against its earlier demand for 8,000 cusecs of water.

Representatives of seven recognised political parties at a meeting in Chandigarh convened by chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday took the stand that Punjab does not have surplus water to share with anyone, and not a single drop of additional water will be given to Haryana from the Bhakra dam. They also addressed a joint press conference, in which Mann said that the decision to release more water to Haryana was being thrust on Punjab, but all parties were together on the issue of safeguarding the state’s waters.

The Punjab government had deployed police personnel on Friday at the Nangal Dam, which is 13km downstream of Bhakra Dam.

After the refusal by Punjab to share surplus water with Haryana, CM Nayab Singh Saini said that his government will approach the Supreme Court.