NANGAL, May 13 — Punjab Cabinet Ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO and Laljit Singh Bhullar on Tuesday joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers in a demonstration at the Nangal Dam, voicing strong opposition to the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release water from Punjab’s share to Haryana.
Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, addressing the gathering, said past state governments had consistently failed to protect Punjab’s rightful stake in BBMB-managed waters, leading to long-standing ecological and financial damage.
“Punjab has suffered due to the unfair division of river waters. Earlier governments ignored this, and now we are paying the price,” Singh said.
He criticised earlier administrations for choosing tubewell irrigation over canal systems—a move he said drained groundwater reserves and saddled the state with the financial burden of free electricity to operate these tubewells.
“Not only did we lose groundwater, but we also spent heavily to keep the system running,” Singh added.
According to the minister, the current AAP-led Punjab Government has allocated Rs 4,500 crore toward restoring canal-based surface water irrigation. He argued that with this system revived, Punjab now urgently needs its full water quota from the BBMB.
“Surface irrigation is back. For that, we need our complete share of water. This is not a request, it is our right,” he said.
Despite Haryana having utilised its sanctioned quota from the BBMB until May 20, Punjab continues to supply 4,000 cusecs of water daily for drinking needs, Singh said. He called it a goodwill gesture, done on humanitarian grounds.
However, Singh accused the BBMB, under the influence of the BJP-led Central Government, of exerting pressure on Punjab to release more water beyond agreed limits.
“There’s a deliberate attempt to coerce Punjab. But let me make it clear—Punjab will not bow to this pressure,” Singh declared.
Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar also joined in condemning what he called the Centre’s biased approach through the BBMB, reiterating that Punjab would not relinquish its legitimate water rights under any circumstances.
The protest, led by the AAP leadership, underscored escalating tensions over inter-state river water sharing and reflected growing political resistance in Punjab against what the ministers described as systemic exploitation.
Read more: Punjab to Withhold BBMB Funds Pending Audit: CM Mann
