The Punjab Legislative Assembly convened a special session on Monday to unanimously oppose the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) directive to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, amid growing concerns over Punjab’s water availability.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called the session to build consensus on a resolution defending Punjab’s water rights, following an all-party meeting on May 2 where political leaders united against what they called an imposition by the Centre.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema denounced the BBMB directive as an attempt to “loot” Punjab’s resources, stating, “We have already given Haryana more than its share… Our AAP government will never allow Punjab’s water to be stolen.”
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa (Congress) echoed the sentiment, asserting, “Punjab waters will not be given to anyone else under any circumstances.” He reiterated Congress’s long-standing “pro-Punjab” stance.
Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal clarified that the issue wasn’t about dam levels, but about rightful allocations. “We will work as per the law to protect our share,” he said.
MLA Sandeep Jakhar raised concerns over water quality within Punjab, pointing out that even residents in parts of his constituency were forced to consume unclean water.
However, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira criticised the Aam Aadmi Party for its delayed reaction, referencing the Dam Safety Act of 2021, which he said had already eroded state control over water bodies. “Bhagwant Mann was a parliamentarian then but didn’t oppose the Act. This is a delayed response,” he claimed.
The session comes after the Punjab government rejected BBMB’s April 30 order, citing dangerously low water levels in major dams: Pong Dam (32 feet), Bhakra Dam (12 feet), and Ranjit Sagar Dam (14 feet) below previous year’s levels.
CM Mann reaffirmed his government’s commitment on social media: “Punjabis have rights to every drop of Punjab water, and no one will be allowed to take it away.”
The special session is expected to conclude with a resolution reaffirming Punjab’s refusal to release additional water to Haryana, emphasizing the state’s autonomy and pressing need to conserve its depleting water resources.
