Punjab-Haryana water crises solved under the command of Union Home Secretary
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ May 2, 2025
Today, Union Home Secretary holds a meeting to discuss urgent water requirements of Haryana for next 08 days from Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Dams
Punjab raised objections on the BBMB decision to release extra 4500 cusecs of water to Haryana on grounds that the neighbouring state has exhausted its water share during the present cycle. Punjab irrigation officials maintain that Haryana has exhausted its water share, utilising 104% water, for the current accounting season (September 22, 2024, to May 20, 2025). Giving more water to the neighbouring state may hamper Punjab’s interests and considerably bring down water levels in Bhakra dam.
On this issue, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Home Secretary, Government of India at New Delhi today to discuss the issue of implementation of decision of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) for release of extra 4500 cusecs of water to Haryana for 08 days for meeting urgent water needs of Haryana and some parts of Rajasthan. The meeting was attended by senior officers of Government of India, the partner states of BBMB viz. Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana and BBMB.
The matter was discussed/ deliberated and it was advised to carry out the decision of BBMB to release 4500 cusecs of extra water from Bhakra Dams to Haryana for next 08 days to meet their urgent water requirements. It was also agreed that during the filling period of Dams, BBMB will provide this excess water to Punjab to fulfil their any additional requirements. The BBMB will immediately convene a meeting of the Board to work out the modalities of implementing the release of extra water to Haryana.
Punjab-Haryana water crises solved under the command of Union Home Secretary. Now, the BBMB has called a board meeting of the partner states on May 3,2025 at 5:00 pm at its head office in Chandigarh as per Union Home Secretary’s order.
The BBMB regulates distribution of river waters from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams over Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, among Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and New Delhi.
