A fresh dispute has erupted between Punjab and Haryana over the release of water from the Bhakra Dam, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that the state lacks surplus water to share, while Haryana expresses concerns about excess water potentially flowing into Pakistan.
During a meeting with the Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal, Chief Minister Mann stated that Punjab cannot spare even a single drop of water for other states, citing the state’s own irrigation needs and overexploited groundwater resources. He emphasized that 76.5% of Punjab’s blocks are overexploited, where groundwater extraction exceeds 100%, compared to 61.5% in Haryana.
Mann highlighted that most of Punjab’s river resources have dried up, necessitating more water to meet agricultural demands. He pointed out the inconsistency in water-sharing arrangements, noting that while Haryana receives Ravi and Beas waters, Punjab is not allocated Yamuna waters, despite being a successor state of the erstwhile Punjab.
On the other hand, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has requested Punjab to release water from the Bhakra reservoir, warning that excess water could flow into Pakistan via the Harike-Pattan barrage if not utilized by Haryana. The Bhakra Dam, operated by the Bhakra Beas Management Board , plays a crucial role in water distribution among the states.
The BBMB has been urged by Punjab to prevail upon Haryana and Rajasthan to draw maximum possible water from the dams to prevent excess water from flowing into Pakistan. Punjab has expressed concerns that if neighboring states do not absorb additional water into their canal systems, the state will be left with no option but to release the surplus into Pakistan through the Hussainiwala barrage.
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