‘Cannot go on like this’: Punjab-Rajasthan tussle over Gang Canal water escalates as MLAs continue stir, meet Governor Kataria

Indora said, “Rajasthan and Punjab share water from the Gang Canal, sourced from the Harike Barrage on the Sutlej River. As per the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), both states were allocated 2,500 cusecs each for June 2025. But until June 10, Rajasthan was receiving just 600–700 cusecs. We objected, and the share was later increased to 1,800 cusecs, and finally to 2,000 cusecs from June 18. Still, we are not getting the full 100 per cent share.”

He added, “It cannot go on like this, where Punjab arbitrarily increases or decreases the flow. We demand our rightful share — not a drop more, not a drop less. The Centre must intervene as BBMB is under its control.”

Chain hunger strike gathers momentum

The hunger strike began with MLA Rupinder Kooner who was later joined by Raisinghnagar MLA Sohan Lal Nayak. MP Indora is also set to join the chain hunger strike from 6 pm on Friday to 6 pm on Saturday. “The chain hunger strike is being observed for 24 hours by each person, starting from 6 pm onwards,” said Kooner.

Farmers claim the ongoing shortfall has crippled irrigation and delayed sowing of cotton and cottonseed, putting thousands of livelihoods at risk. Protesters have also raised concerns about water theft by Punjab farmers along the route of the canal from Harike to Sriganganagar, a problem allegedly ignored by both governments.

BJP MLA meets Punjab governor

In a significant development, Gurveer Singh Brar, the BJP MLA from Sadulshahar, which falls in Sriganganagar district, met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh on Thursday and raised the matter. The legislator also submitted a memorandum requesting immediate release of Rajasthan’s allocated share.

Brar stated that even though the BBMB has allocated 2,500 cusecs to Rajasthan, “Punjab is not releasing the full amount. Water levels in the Gang Canal have been continuously falling, putting farmers in distress. While the Rajasthan government has taken up the matter repeatedly, the supply has improved, but still remains insufficient.”

Following Brar’s intervention, the Punjab Governor reportedly issued directions to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the chief secretary to resolve the issue urgently. “With the Governor’s positive intervention, I am hopeful that this sensitive issue will be resolved soon and farmers will get relief,” the MLA added.

History of the Gang Canal

Commissioned in 1927 by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner, the Gang Canal is one of India’s oldest irrigation projects. Originally constructed to bring water from the Sutlej River (via the Harike Barrage in Punjab’s Ferozepur) to the arid lands of northern Rajasthan, especially Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh, the canal stretches over 450 km, with 215 km being within Rajasthan.

The canal irrigates nearly 3.5 to 4 lakh hectares of fields and supports crucial crops such as cotton, wheat, mustard, and sugarcane. The water-sharing is governed by interstate agreements, monitored by BBMB, which is under central jurisdiction. With a designated capacity of 2,500 cusecs, the Gang Canal is a lifeline for farmers in a region which gets scarce rainfall.

However, recent disruptions in the water supply have reignited the debate over interstate water rights, political accountability, and the need for intervention from the central government to ensure fair distribution of essential resources.