Amid the intensifying water-sharing dispute with Haryana, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday firmly asserted that Punjab has no additional water to spare, citing legal provisions and hydrological data in the state’s favor.
Addressing the media, Mann dismissed the notion of a water dispute, stating, “Legally and according to data, it is in favour of Punjab. We allotted Haryana water for one year; they used it up in 10 months and are now asking for more for the remaining two months.”
He added that Haryana’s demand hinges on outdated allocations from the past, saying, “The only logic they are giving is that earlier, too, they had been getting more water. But times have changed.”
The Chief Minister highlighted Punjab’s progress in canal infrastructure, noting that canal water usage in the state had increased significantly—from 21–22% previously to 60% today. “We have restored our canal systems and are now using our own water. We don’t have additional water,” he said.
Mann’s comments come in response to a recent directive by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana from the Bhakra-Nangal Dam on April 30. The Punjab government has opposed the decision, citing alarmingly low water levels in major reservoirs: Pong Dam is 32 feet, Bhakra Dam 12 feet, and Ranjit Sagar Dam 14 feet below last year’s levels.
The dispute reflects broader concerns over water scarcity in northern India, with both states facing increasing pressure from agricultural demand, climate change, and depleting groundwater reserves.
