Punjab Ministers Join Protest at Nangal Dam Against BBMB’s Water Release to Haryana
Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Tuesday joined Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers at a protest at the Nangal Dam. The demonstration was staged in opposition to the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release additional water to Haryana.
Addressing the protestors, Harbhajan Singh ETO criticized previous Punjab governments for failing to address the state’s water concerns. He said Punjab had suffered both ecologically and economically due to what he termed an “unjust” distribution of water from BBMB projects.
Instead of ensuring canal water for irrigation, earlier administrations had promoted tubewell usage, which severely depleted the state’s groundwater levels. “Punjab also bore the economic burden of providing free electricity for tubewell operations,” he said. In contrast, the current government, he added, had earmarked ₹4,500 crore to expand surface water irrigation systems.
Singh emphasized that with the revival of canal irrigation, Punjab now needed its full share of water from the BBMB. He further pointed out that Haryana had already used up its allocated quota of BBMB water, yet Punjab was still supplying 4,000 cusecs of water daily to Haryana for drinking water purposes.
Blaming the BBMB authorities and alleging political interference by the BJP-led central government, Singh said there was now pressure on Punjab to release even more water. “Punjab will not surrender its rightful share of water. We have been compelled to protest because of the BBMB’s dictatorial stance,” he asserted.
The ministers echoed the sentiment of AAP supporters at the protest, reinforcing Punjab’s demand for a fair and just water distribution system.
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