Punjab skips meet to discuss Haryana water share

CHANDIGARH: Punjab govt stayed away from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) meeting on Saturday - called to discuss the modalities for the release of an additional 4,500 cusecs of water daily to Haryana - citing preparations for the assembly session and flagging procedural irregularities in previous meetings.

The governing AAP in Punjab termed the meeting "illegal and unconstitutional". At the meeting, BBMB indicated that it would take up the issue of withdrawal of Punjab Police security from Nangal dam.

Dam board to meet Punjab govt before releasing water

For this, a Bhakra Beas Management Board team led by chairman Manoj Tripathi will reach out to the state govt. The board will thereafter address the issue of releasing water to Haryana for eight days.

Earlier, in a letter to BBMB chairman, Punjab's water resources secretary expressed state's inability to attend the meeting, and requested that the meeting be adjourned. The letter also accused BBMB of not adhering to its own regulations, stating that the laid-down procedure, which requires a minimum of seven days' notice for special meetings, was not being followed.

In BBMB's last meeting with partner states Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, the board had directed Punjab to immediately release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana despite strong opposition from the Bhagwant Mann govt.

The special assembly session has been convened to discuss BBMB's decision to give additional water to Haryana. At the Punjab all-party meeting on Friday, a unanimous stand was taken against any attempt by BBMB to "forcibly" give extra water to Haryana, with all parties rallying behind state govt to protect the state's interests. The same tone had dominated Saturday's Haryana all-party meeting, too.