Chandigarh (National Times): Hours after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sparked controversy by publicly refusing to share water with Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann issued a firm yet focused response through a tweet that underscored Punjab’s commitment to sustainable water management rather than political sparring.
“Every drop of Punjab’s water is precious,” Mann posted, following a high-level meeting held with officials and ministers from the Water Resources Department on Thursday. The Chief Minister announced the formulation of an Integrated State Water Plan, aimed at water conservation and management down to the block level.
The plan, Mann said, will emphasize both irrigation and drinking water requirements and include concrete steps to preserve Punjab’s fast-depleting groundwater. “We are also making special efforts to save groundwater for the future generations,” the Chief Minister added.
Though Mann did not directly name Abdullah or reference the controversy, the timing and tone of his statement appeared to be a clear and strategic response to the J&K CM’s earlier remarks. Abdullah had openly objected to the proposed 113-km canal project aimed at redirecting surplus Indus water from J&K to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, stating: “Why should I send water to Punjab?… They already had water under the Indus Water Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?”
The canal, if approved, would enable Punjab to receive a portion of the Indus system’s surplus waters—a move now facing opposition from J&K.
Mann’s tweet, in contrast, did not escalate the row but instead projected Punjab’s proactive stance on internal water sustainability, sending a message that the state would focus on optimizing its own resources rather than relying on inter-state disputes.
The AAP-led Punjab government’s announcement of a water conservation roadmap comes at a time when the state is battling declining groundwater tables and rising demand for agricultural and drinking water. The proposed Integrated Plan is expected to be rolled out in phases, with pilot projects beginning in the most water-stressed districts.
The political undertone of the tweet aside, the CM’s announcement marks a significant step in addressing Punjab’s water crisis—one that continues to shape the state’s environmental, agricultural, and political landscape.
