Nangal (National Times): In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Chairman Manoj Tripathi and the board’s secretary have been detained for allegedly attempting to release water to Haryana from the Bhakra Nangal Dam. The development was confirmed by Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harjot Singh Bains, who stated that Tripathi’s actions were unauthorized and that he would remain in custody until legal action is taken against him.
According to sources, Tripathi is being held at a rest house in Nangal, Punjab, under tight security. Bains, who has been vocal in opposing the release of additional water to Haryana, accused the BBMB chairman of bypassing Punjab’s objections and attempting to implement an “illegal” decision. “The chairman tried to release Punjab’s rightful water to Haryana without state consent. This is unacceptable, and we demand the immediate registration of a case against him,” Bains said, as reported in posts on X.
The detention follows a series of contentious events surrounding the BBMB’s decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, a move that Punjab has vehemently opposed, citing a lack of surplus water and the state’s critical agricultural needs. On April 23, the BBMB’s technical committee approved the release, which was later ratified on April 30 despite Punjab’s dissent. Punjab argues that Haryana has already exhausted its allocated water share for the year, while the BBMB, backed by BJP-ruled states Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi, has justified the release on humanitarian grounds to address drinking water shortages.
Tensions further intensified when Punjab Police allegedly took control of the Bhakra Nangal Dam and Lohand Control Room on May 1, an action the BBMB described as an unconstitutional seizure in a petition filed with the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court, in a ruling on May 6, ordered Punjab to refrain from interfering in BBMB operations and to limit its role to providing security, emphasizing that the BBMB is a central institution under the Union government’s jurisdiction.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who has been at the forefront of the state’s resistance to the water release, is en route to Nangal accompanied by the state’s Advocate General to address the situation. CM Mann has previously accused the BJP-led central government and Haryana of attempting to “rob” Punjab of its water rights, a sentiment echoed in a unanimous resolution passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on May 5, which declared that not a single drop of Punjab’s water would be given to Haryana beyond the 4,000 cusecs already provided for drinking purposes.
Bains, who visited the Nangal Dam for the second consecutive day, reiterated Punjab’s stance on X, stating, “We have successfully stopped BBMB’s illegal attempt to release Punjab’s water. Until Hon’ble CM Bhagwant Mann ji arrives at Nangal, no further movement will be allowed. Punjab’s water is not negotiable.”
The detention of Tripathi and the BBMB secretary has sparked widespread controversy, with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini calling Punjab’s actions “unconstitutional” and a violation of federal principles. Haryana has vowed to pursue all legal options to secure its water share, while the BBMB is expected to escalate the matter to the Union Home Ministry.
