Water Dispute Escalates Between Punjab and Haryana Amid Political Blame Game
A fierce political confrontation has broken out between Punjab and Haryana over the release of water, with both Chief Ministers—Bhagwant Mann of Punjab and Nayab Singh Saini of Haryana—trading accusations and intensifying the already contentious water-sharing dispute.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led central government of using pressure tactics to force Punjab into releasing additional water to Haryana. He alleged that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which oversees the distribution of water among Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, is being misused to favor Haryana under political influence.
Mann asserted that Haryana and Rajasthan receive their share of water based on an annual cycle that begins on May 21 each year, and decisions about quotas are made by the BBMB. He claimed that Haryana had already used 103% of its allocated water for the current cycle, exhausting its share as early as March. “Now they are trying to snatch water from Punjab, despite our reservoirs seeing a substantial drop in water levels,” Mann said.
Punjab, he added, had already provided 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana on humanitarian grounds for drinking water needs, but could not afford to release more, especially with the paddy sowing season approaching.
In response, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini accused Mann of reneging on the April 23 agreement reached with the BBMB regarding water distribution. According to Saini, the BBMB decided that 8,500 cusecs of water should be released to Haryana, but as of 2 p.m. on April 27, Punjab had not submitted the necessary indent to the BBMB to facilitate the release.
Saini also alleged that Mann gave verbal assurances during a phone call on April 26 that he would instruct his officials to comply with the agreement, but no action followed. “By the next day, Punjab’s officials were not only inactive but also unresponsive to our calls,” Saini claimed.
He criticized Mann for releasing a video instead of formally replying to Haryana’s concerns, accusing him of misleading the public to gain political mileage. “This is not just about water. It’s about respecting mutual agreements and acting in national interest,” Saini said.
Saini further warned of the implications of delayed water release, stating that it could lead to excessive discharge into the eastern rivers of the Indus system during the monsoon. “If not released now, large volumes of water may flow into Pakistan, which is unacceptable, especially after India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty,” he wrote in a letter to Mann.
Mann, on the other hand, urged the central government to avoid politicizing the water issue and instead focus on long-term solutions. He proposed that India cancel the Indus Water Treaty and divert waters from rivers such as the Chenab, Jhelum, and Ujh to meet the needs of Indian states.
As both states hold their ground, the BBMB remains at the center of the dispute, with rising tensions over water allocation threatening to deepen the political divide between Punjab and Haryana.
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