TENSIONS RISE AS CENTRE DIRECTS PUNJAB TO SUPPLY 4,500 CUSECS OF WATER TO HARYANA

GS-2: Centre-State Dynamics

Key Points:

• The Centre has ordered Punjab to release 4,500 cusecs of water from Bhakra Dam to Haryana for eight days to address urgent water demands.
• Decision made under the Union Home Secretary’s leadership, involving officials from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• Punjab’s government has resisted, labeling the directive as overbearing and politically driven.
• The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) will compensate Punjab with equivalent water during the dam’s filling phase.

In-Depth Analysis: Bhakra Beas Management Dispute:

• BBMB oversees water allocation from dams like Bhakra, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar for Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• The directive aims to meet Haryana’s immediate irrigation and drinking water needs.

Punjab’s Objections:

• CM Bhagwant Mann criticized the Centre’s order as unconstitutional and authoritarian.
• Punjab claims it received 9.3% more than its water share in 2024, while Haryana was short by only 0.198%.
• Over two decades, Punjab allegedly received 22.44% more water, with Haryana getting 7.67% less.
• Punjab plans a special assembly session on May 5 to protest.

Haryana’s Stance:

• CM Nayab Singh Saini convened an all-party meeting to address Punjab’s refusal.
• Haryana’s Water Resources Minister refuted Punjab’s claim that Haryana exhausted its share by March.
• Haryana insists on its constitutional water rights.

Legal and Institutional Framework:

• The dispute may escalate to the Supreme Court under inter-state water dispute provisions.
• Governed by the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act and BBMB regulations.

Scientific/Technical Terms:

• Cusec: A flow rate measuring one cubic foot per second.
• Dam Water Management: Strategies for pre-monsoon dam filling and equitable state distribution.

Significance:

• Highlights increasing strain on inter-state water sharing, particularly in agriculture-heavy regions.
• Impacts federal relations, equitable resource distribution, and climate resilience in water-scarce times.