Water sharing row: Punjab govt seeks BBMB revamp, Dam safety Act repeal

Amid the ongoing water dispute with Haryana, the special session of the Punjab assembly was convened on Monday.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Haryana government is trying to steal his state's share of water.

"Haryana government and the BJP government are trying to steal Punjab's share of water...We have requested the central government to repeal the Dam Safety Act 2021. This Act comes under Punjab's jurisdiction...We will not let anyone take Punjab's share of water..." Cheema told ANI.

The same sentiments were expressed by the Punjab Legislative Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on the ongoing dispute. 

"This is not only about Punjab's right, it is in the interest of the nation. The water used by Punjab is used to supply the whole country with food. If you do not give Punjab's share of water, then how will we be able to provide wheat and grains to the nation...We condemn the Dam Safety Act, and a new BBMB should be constituted..." he said.

Earlier, 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 a deliberate attempt to divert Punjab's rightful water to Haryana.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused Haryana of mismanaging its water allocation from the Bhakra Dam, amidst the ongoing water-sharing dispute between the two states.

Mann, in a statement, said, "As per the data, they (Haryana) used up their share by 31st March. Still, we are providing them with drinking water. They will receive water on the night of 20th May. For 15 days, they will have to suffer the consequences of their mistake. We had written six letters to them. There used to be a meeting every month, and we used to write to them every month that their water share would finish this time...Still, they paid no heed...Punjab repealed the Dam Safety Act."

Criticising the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), Mann added, "BBMB's conduct is dictatorial, this has been strongly opposed...It has been pointed out that BBMB has become a 'white elephant'; Punjab bears the expenses, but Punjab is bypassed, and decisions are passed. They call meetings at 3-4 hours' notice. But Emergency Meetings also require a week's notice...They don't even give 6-7 hours. So, BBMB should be reconstituted.