As Saini asks for more water, Mann refuses: ‘you have used 103% of sanctioned quota’

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.
Mann, however, told Haryana that they should get the Centre to fill up Punjab’s reservoirs by diverting the water flowing to Pakistan, now that the Indus Water Treaty stands suspended.

“After that we will give more water to Haryana,” Mann said.

On April 23, the Centre announced that the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Islamabad credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. The move came a day after terrorists killed 26 people in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Mann said water levels in Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams were less by 39 feet and 24 feet respectively, as compared to the water levels in the corresponding period a year ago. “Most of the blocks in the state are overexploited and the groundwater situation is grim, he said, adding that as most of the river resources have dried up, the state needs more water to cater to its irrigation needs.

He said the Punjab government has set the canal water system right and hence is able to utilise it. “I am a custodian of Punjab waters. I will not give extra water. We are using the canal water supply to irrigate our fields. I have taken the water to every tail end now. You (Haryana) have several other resources, take water from there. We will not let Punjab farmers face water problems. Water is our necessity. We have to give 185 lakh metric tonnes of paddy under the public distribution system,” Mann said.

The chief minister said his predecessors used to extend such largesses to appease their “mentors” in the BJP but as the custodian of the state’s water, he will never allow this.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and Haryana’s former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “Haryana is not begging (for water). It is Haryana’s share of water that Punjab will have to give”.

He said Punjab has no right to cut Haryana’s water. Hooda also hit out at Saini saying it was BJP government’s failure that suddenly, 9500 cusecs of water has been reduced to 4000 cusecs. “This unconstitutional step of the Punjab government will create a water crisis in many districts including Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Rohtak and Mahendragarh and irrigation of the upcoming crops will also become difficult. BJP is in power in both Haryana and at the Centre for the third term. From the appointment of people from Haryana in the Bhakra Beas Management Board to the rights of Haryana, everything was curtailed. But the state government did not register any objection,” he added.

Haryana’s social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Kumar Bedi assured people of Narwana Assembly constituency no citizen will face shortage of water. Bedi also asked officers to make a schedule and keep supplying water area wise from time to time so that there is no shortage in the city and villages.