Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann says no to Nayab Singh Saini’s request for water: ‘You used 103% of quota’

Mann said Haryana has exhausted its share of water in March and is now seeking additional water for April and May. He said Punjab needs water for the upcoming paddy sowing season and there is not a single surplus drop to spare.

Mann said the BBMB has allocated 2.987 MAF (million acre feet) water to Haryana for utilisation by May 21, 2025 and the state has already used 103 per cent of it. Punjab was allocated 5.512 MAF but has utilised only 89 per cent so far. He said Haryana had demanded 4,000 cusecs for drinking and other purposes in April, which Punjab agreed to “on humanitarian” grounds.

“They now trying to rob Punjab of its water. They should have used their share judiciously. The BJP is now pressurising Punjab to release additional 8500 cusecs through BBMB. But we do not have a drop extra. We have a paddy sowing season coming up. There is already demand for canal water (from farmers),” said Mann.

Haryana made the demand during the meeting of technical committee of the board on April 23.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini’s office, meanwhile, released a letter written by him to Mann on April 27 wherein he reminded his Punjab counterpart of the telephonic discussion they had on April 26 regarding the implementation of the “decision of the technical committee of the BBMB on April 23 inter alia giving 8500 cusecs water at Haryana Contact points (HCP)”.

“You may recall having assured me that your authorities would ensure implementation of the decision by today. However, I have been informed that Water Resources Department of Government of Punjab has still not placed the indent with BBMB… phone calls being made by the Haryana officers to your senior officers… are also going unanswered,” Saini said in the letter.

Saini reminded Mann that Haryana is reeling under a shortage of water supply. “Drinking water crisis is erupting fast in many places. It is pertinent to mention that the release at IICP has always been in excess of 9500 cusecs in the past during the months of May and June. This helps us to tide over the summer period when flow in river Yamuna is extremely low..If timely regular release it not made from the dams, massive releases will have to be made by the BBMB in the eastern rivers of India system during rainy season as a compulsion. This would mean flow of water to Pakistan, which, given the suspension of Indus Water Treaty by India, must not be allowed to happen,” Saini wrote.