Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 5 (ANI): The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday held an important hearing regarding the ongoing water dispute involving the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Punjab Government, and the Haryana Government.
The court issued notices to BBMB, Punjab, and Haryana, and scheduled the next hearing for 3 PM on May 6 (Tuesday).
In the petition filed by BBMB, the security deployment done by the Punjab Police in the Nangal Dam premises has been challenged. The petition said that this security has been imposed forcibly, and it is hampering the work of the board.
BBMB’s lawyer, Advocate Rajesh Garg, said in the court, “We do not want the security of the Punjab Police. If security is needed, we will ask for it from the Central Government, why from the Punjab Government?”
Responding on behalf of the Punjab Government, the court was told that in view of the increasing tension between India and Pakistan, the police force has been deployed at Nangal Dam as a precaution. At the same time, the BBMB lawyer alleged that the Punjab Police has illegally surrounded the dam, due to which water supply from the dam is not possible.
The court has asked all parties to present their detailed submissions during the next hearing.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Monday moved a resolution in the Punjab Legislative Assembly during a special session, vehemently opposing the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
Declaring that “not a single drop of extra water” will be spared, Goyal accused the BBMB of acting as a “puppet of the BJP” and conspiring to undermine Punjab’s water rights through illegal and unconstitutional means.
Goyal outlined key points in the resolution, asserting that Punjab had provided 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana on humanitarian grounds but would not release any additional water from its share.
He labelled the BBMB’s late-night meeting on April 30 as “illegal” and as a deliberate attempt to divert Punjab’s rightful share of water to Haryana.
“The 1981 water-sharing treaty is outdated due to reduced water availability. A new treaty is needed,” Goyal stated.
The minister further criticised the Dam Safety Act, 2021, claiming it endangers state rights by centralising control over Punjab’s rivers.
“The Central government wants direct control. This occupation of Punjab’s rivers will not be tolerated,” he said, alleging a “conspiracy” involving the BJP, Haryana, and BBMB to “snatch Punjab’s rights” (ANI)
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