Chandigarh, May 3 — In a fresh twist to the ongoing water-sharing dispute, Punjab on Friday refused to attend a meeting called by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to discuss water release from the Bhakra dam, a day after Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan advised the state to address the issue.
The meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m., was expected to deliberate on BBMB’s decision to allocate an additional 4,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. However, Punjab sent a formal letter to the board requesting that the session be deferred.
The Punjab Government cited logistical and legislative reasons for its absence. Officials said preparations for a special session of the Punjab Assembly on May 5 — where the BBMB’s decision will be a key agenda item — had occupied the state’s administrative machinery. The government also questioned the procedural validity of the meeting notice.
“The BBMB meeting was called without giving the mandatory seven-day notice, which violates Section 7 of the 1976 Regulations,” the Water Resources Department said in its communication, demanding that the board follow laid-down procedures before taking such decisions.
The BBMB had earlier decided to divert the additional water to Haryana amid rising tensions over regional water scarcity. Punjab has opposed the move, saying the decision was taken unilaterally and without its consent.
With the state assembly set to deliberate on the matter in two days, all eyes are now on the BBMB’s next move. It remains to be seen whether the board will revise its schedule or proceed with its current plan in Punjab’s absence.
Read more: Centre Directs Punjab to Release Water to Haryana
