Chandigarh, April 30 — A sharp political and administrative clash has broken out between Punjab and Haryana over the release of water, with the chief ministers of both states engaging in a heated exchange over the implementation of a recent Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) agreement.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led central government of pressuring Punjab to release additional water to Haryana, calling it a “dirty game” intended to damage Punjab’s interests.
“We will not allow the saffron party to succeed in its nefarious designs against Punjab,” Mann said in a video statement.
The disagreement centers on a BBMB decision dated April 23, which, according to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, required Punjab to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
Saini claimed that as of 2 p.m. on April 27, Punjab had yet to submit the required indent to the BBMB, despite an earlier assurance from Mann that action would be taken promptly.
“I personally informed the Punjab CM on April 26 about the BBMB decision. He assured me he would instruct his officials immediately, yet by the next afternoon, no steps had been taken,” Saini said in a letter to Mann.
He further alleged that Punjab officials were not even answering calls from their Haryana counterparts.
Mann, on the other hand, maintained that the demand from Haryana was unjustified. He stated that the state had already received 103% of its water quota for the current cycle, which runs from May 21 of one year to May 21 of the next.
He also cited significant drops in Punjab’s water reservoir levels, making additional release unfeasible.
“Haryana used up its entire share in March. Now they’re trying to grab more water by robbing Punjab,” Mann asserted, claiming that Punjab had already released 4,000 cusecs of water on humanitarian grounds to meet Haryana’s drinking water needs.
Mann also raised concerns about the politicisation of water resources, urging the Union government to act in Punjab’s interest by re-evaluating international treaties.
“Instead of coercing Punjab, the Centre should cancel the Indus Water Treaty and divert waters from rivers like Chenab, Jhelum, and Ujh to our state,” he said.
Saini countered with warnings about the potential consequences of Punjab’s non-compliance.
“If timely releases are not made, the BBMB will be forced to discharge massive volumes during the rainy season. That water could flow to Pakistan, which must not happen given India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty,” he wrote.
The conflict has added a political layer to an already complex water management issue, with each side accusing the other of manipulating the situation for image-building ahead of upcoming political events.
“Instead of replying to my letter, the Punjab CM chose to release a video to mislead the public,” said Saini.
As the dispute intensifies, all eyes are on the BBMB and the central government’s next steps in resolving the impasse between the two northern states, both heavily reliant on agricultural water supply.
