The long-standing Punjab-Haryana water dispute has flared up again, with senior leaders from Punjab issuing firm warnings and launching on-ground protests to oppose the release of more water to Haryana from the Bhakra-Nangal project.
On Friday, Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa stated unequivocally that Punjab cannot afford to release even a single extra drop of water. Citing falling groundwater levels and an imminent threat to agriculture, he said:
“Punjab does not have even one extra drop of water. We already have less water. The water level has drastically dropped. Only irrigation can save Punjab’s crops now,” Randhawa told the media.
Highlighting Punjab’s historical role during the Green Revolution, Randhawa said Punjab had once made India self-reliant in food production, and it now deserves similar decisive protection from water diversion:
“When Bhakra Dam and Agriculture University were built, Punjab led India’s Green Revolution. We fed the country. Now, we need decisions to protect our own farmers.”
The flashpoint erupted after Haryana demanded 8,500 cusecs of water, 4,500 cusecs more than its current share, citing a BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) technical committee recommendation. However, Punjab ministers and officers have opposed the implementation, intensifying tensions.
On Thursday, Punjab Education Minister and AAP leader Harjot Singh Bains led a high-stakes protest at the Nangal Dam, asserting Punjab’s right over its dwindling water resources.
“Over 90% of Punjab’s blocks are in the ‘dark zone’ due to over-extraction. This protest is to save our lifeline — water. If this water is taken illegally, Punjab’s agrarian economy will collapse,” Bains declared.
Bains and other AAP workers took control of the dam’s regulatory room, effectively halting the flow of water into Haryana. He praised CM Bhagwant Mann’s irrigation reforms over the past five years and confirmed that the Chief Minister would soon join the protest.
Bains further defended Mann’s refusal to release additional water:
“Haryana has used its share. The BJP is trying to derail our irrigation reforms. But Punjab will not surrender its rights,” he told media.
Reacting strongly, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini condemned Punjab’s actions, calling Mann’s stance “shocking.” He said that the BBMB technical committee had already cleared the water release to Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan on April 23, and alleged that Punjab officials refused to cooperate.
“I spoke to CM Mann on April 26 about implementing the BBMB decision. But Punjab’s officers have stalled the process,” said Saini.
The situation is being closely watched in Delhi and Chandigarh, as fears mount over inter-state conflict, worsening groundwater crises, and potential agricultural distress ahead of the upcoming kharif season.
Both states have now made it clear that the fight is not just about water — it’s about survival, federal rights, and regional autonomy over resources.