As the standoff between Punjab and Haryana over water-sharing intensifies, Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini held an all-party meeting over the row in Chandigarh Saturday, following which he accused Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann of “deliberately taking out his frustration since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost the Delhi Assembly polls”.
Citing data on the amount of water Haryana had been getting from Punjab over the years, Saini said, “Even while Bhakra dam water levels had gone down, Haryana still kept getting nearly 9,000 cusecs of water per day” in the past. “Then why, suddenly, Punjab has now stopped the water supply?” he asked.
“Earlier, the Punjab government had no objection to water going to Delhi. But after the result of Delhi Assembly elections, it seems the Punjab government is doing all this to take revenge on the people of Delhi,” Saini alleged while addressing a press conference. He was flanked by leaders from various parties.
The AAP was ousted from power in Delhi by the BJP in the Assembly polls held in February.
In the resolution passed at the all-party meeting, Haryana urged Punjab to implement, “without conditions”, the decisions of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)’s technical committee and of the larger Board taken on April 23 and April 30, respectively. The BBMB regulates water distribution from dams to five states, including Punjab and Haryana, and the Union Territory of Delhi.
The Punjab government has, however, rejected the BBMB’s decisions. It also skipped a BBMB meeting held on the issue in Chandigarh Saturday.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan had chaired a high-level meeting in Delhi Friday, with the Centre asking Punjab to execute the BBMB’s decision to release 4,500 cusecs of extra water from the Bhakra dam to Haryana for the next eight days to meet the latter’s urgent water requirement.
At their meeting, Haryana’s leaders cutting across party lines demanded that the “inhumane, unjust, illegal, and unconstitutional ban on Haryana’s share of water be lifted immediately”.
Haryana ministers Anil Vij, Ranbir Gangwa, Shyam Singh Rana, Shruti Choudhry, and BJP state president Mohan Lal Badoli attended the meeting.
The Congress was represented at the meeting by former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state party chief Udai Bhan. The AAP’s Haryana in-charge Sushil Gupta was also present, as were representatives from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), BSP and CPI(M).
All the leaders unanimously stated that they stand firmly with the Haryana government in ensuring that the state gets its “rightful share of water” while alleging that “Punjab does not respect the federal structure”.
“While Haryana has always maintained a positive approach toward all agreements, Punjab has worked to reject such agreements. Even now, the Punjab government is engaging in misleading propaganda and taking unconstitutional steps by blocking Haryana’s share of drinking water in an attempt to gain political mileage”, said a statement jointly made by the leaders after the meeting.
Presenting a resolution at the meeting, Saini said, “We resolve to stand united in safeguarding Haryana’s rightful share of water and ensuring the early construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. Together, we are prepared to pursue all necessary legal avenues and undertake every possible political effort at both the state and Central levels to protect the interests of Haryana.”
The CM added that “a future course of action, whether approaching the Central government or convening a special session of the Haryana Assembly, will be decided in due course of time”.
Saini also appealed to the citizens of Haryana and Punjab to uphold peace and mutual harmony, urging them to stay vigilant against the “misleading narratives of self-serving elements seeking to create discord”.
Taking a dig at the Punjab CM, Saini said, “Mann sahab is unconstitutionally attempting to block Haryana’s water. This water belongs to the entire nation. During the Partition of India, water was divided between India and Pakistan. Subsequently, it was divided among the states. Water, therefore, is not the sole property of any one state. The issue is not as severe as the Mann government is portraying it to be.”
Presenting data on water sharing, Saini said, “In past years of low dam levels, such as 2016 through 2019, Haryana received its share without dispute. Ironically, the current water level is higher than in those years, yet Haryana is being denied even its minimal requirement. In 2019, when the water level was 1,623 feet (above the minimum operational level of 1,500 feet), 0.553 million acre-feet (MAF) of water had to be discharged as excess. This shows that water must be released from the dam to make space for monsoon rain water. Each year, about 8,500 cusecs of water is typically received. The states’ demands change every 15 days and are decided by the BBMB’s technical committee.”
The Haryana CM added, “On April 26, I had informed Bhagwant Mann over the phone that the BBMB’s technical committee had, on April 23, decided to release water to Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan. However, Punjab’s officials were not implementing this. Mann assured me he would direct his officers immediately to comply. When nothing was done by 2 pm on April 27, I even wrote a letter to the Punjab CM informing him of the facts. Shockingly, my letter went unanswered for 48 hours. Instead, the CM released a video for political gain, disregarding the facts and misleading the public.”
Hooda also attacked the Mann government. “The Punjab government has committed an unconstitutional and inhumane act by blocking Haryana’s water. Haryana has been receiving the same amount of water every year. Water allocation is determined based on the dam’s water level… There have been several occasions in the past when the level was even lower, yet Haryana received its full share… Only solution to this dispute lies in the construction of the SYL canal. All political parties are united on this issue. We stand together with CM Saini to resolve the crisis,” he said.
Sushil Gupta, too, extended support to the Haryana government, saying, “A meeting should soon be fixed with the Prime Minister to resolve the issue. The AAP has consistently supported the interests of Haryana, and on the issue of water, we firmly stand with the Haryana government and its people.”
CM Haryana Nayab Singh Saini with former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and members of other parties addressing media after all party meeting on Water issue at Haryana Niwas in Chandigarh on Saturday. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh) 
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