Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann (File Photo)
Tension is going on between Punjab and Haryana regarding water. Even after the meeting that lasted about one and a half hours in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Friday), the issue has not been resolved between the two states. Meanwhile, a big statement of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has come out. He said, ‘For water, there are murder in Punjab, in such a situation, how should we give our water out without our consent’.
During a program in Jalandhar, Punjab, CM Mann said, ‘People in Punjab go to the fields with a passion and Gandasa. There are murders for water in Punjab and you are coming from our homes without asking our homes, we are refusing, we are not agreeing and you are telling us that Lodhi Nangal water goes open. Will you take water forcibly with us?… Brothers, it will not work ‘.
‘CM Maan is setting wrong examples for the country’
At the same time, Riyana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini says that Punjab is using more amount of water from its allotted part and on the other hand Haryana is getting 17% less water than the allotted part of it. He said, ‘Bhagwant Mann’s government is doing only the work of confusing the facts by distorting the facts. There is a problem of drinking water in many districts of Haryana, this problem does not come if the CM does not stop water. He said that this attitude of Maan sets a wrong example not only for Haryana but for the whole country.
No consensus on water dispute
Earlier, in the meeting held on Friday, there was no agreement between the two about the water dispute. In the meeting, Punjab agreed to provide only 4,000 cusecs of water as before, while Haryana was adamant on its demand for 8,500 cusecs of water. ACS Alok Shekhar of Punjab, who attended the meeting held in the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Home Secretary, informed about the intention of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Controversy over Bhakra Dam water
In fact, there has been a dispute between Punjab and Haryana over the water of Bhakra Dam. On this, the governments of both the states have come face to face and are accusing each other. BBMB has ruled about Punjab to give additional water to Haryana. However, CM Mann clearly said that he does not have additional water to give Haryana or any other state.
‘It is not right to demand extra water’
The dispute over water began between the two states when the amount of water being given to Haryana from Bhakra Dam was reduced to 4,000 cusecs. The Technical Committee of BBMB had decided to release water to Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan on 23 April. Regarding this, the Punjab government says that it had given limited amount of water to Haryana due to humanity, but now it is not right to make additional demand.
At the same time, the Haryana government has to do that the water level in Bhakra Dam is high, if it is not extracted on time in Elle, then during the rains the additional water will go to the neighboring country Pakistan, which will cause national loss. Chief Minister Saini also said that water is not the property of any one state, but a natural resource on which everyone has the right.