Water Wars: Punjab vs Haryana Over Bhakra-Nangal Dam

Tensions have mounted between Punjab and Haryana as water from the Bhakra-Nangal dam is distributed amid a long-standing dispute. With the new cycle beginning on Wednesday, Punjab reluctantly agreed to release 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana, despite the neighboring state's demand for a higher allocation of 8,500 cusecs.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had staged a 20-day protest against what they perceive as unfair distribution. In a meeting last week, the Bhakra Beas Management Board decided on allocations, granting Punjab 17,000 cusecs, Haryana 10,300 cusecs, and Rajasthan 12,400 cusecs. Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized these measures, claiming they unfairly favor Haryana.

Mann argued that Haryana had overutilized its share in the previous cycle and advocated for a reevaluation of water agreements every 25 years. Acknowledging Punjab's critical situation as a landlocked state over-reliant on limited water resources, he vowed to address the crisis at an upcoming Niti Aayog meeting, escalating the issue to the national level.

(With inputs from agencies.)