Court Seeks Response from Union Govt. & Haryana on Bhakra

Amidst Panjab’s ongoing tussle with Haryana over the release of additional 4.5K cusecs water, on 11 May, the Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state government will conduct an audit of funds it contributes to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and will withhold further payments until the audit is completed. Mann said, 'Despite Panjab contributing 60% to BBMB’s total expenditure, the board moved court against us. Ironically, Punjab is now expected to bear 60% of the legal expenses for a case filed against itself.' While Panjab covers 60% of the board’s operational expenses, the remaining 40% is shared among Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh. On 13 May, the Panjab government said that the Bhakra Mainline (BML) canal is under repair and does not have enough water-carrying capacity. Meanwhile, on Panjab's plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) seeking a review of the 6 May order, on 14 May, the PHHC sought response from the union govt., Haryana and BBMB. PHHC has fixed 20 May as the deadline for the response. Mann called it a ‘moral victory’ for Panjab. However, a perusal of data on water utilisation by the three partner states during the past decade, available with the Water Resources Department of Panjab, revealed that between 2014-15 and 2025, utilization of water by Panjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan was 64-91%, 89-110%, and 101-130%, respectively. This is grave carelessness on the part of Panjab and indicates why other states are demanding extra water. Their demands have been met in previous years and they are accustomed to the extra water being released. Meanwhile, the Sriganganagar chapter of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has opposed the Panjab Assembly resolution to amend the 1981 agreement on water sharing signed among the states. They argue the resolution is not in the interest of Rajasthan, especially Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, and Bikaner districts. SKM Rajasthan appealed to the farmers to be ready for an agitation against any move to cut Rajasthan’s water share (earlier coverage).