Punjab and Haryana Clash Over Water Distribution
The state government has initiated contempt of court proceedings against Tripathi and Sanjeev Kumar, the Director of Water Regulation, for willful disobedience of a court order dated May 6. The spokesperson clarified that the high court’s order was solely for the implementation of decisions taken during a meeting on May 5, and no such decisions were formally communicated to the state authorities or the BBMB chairman.
Despite this, Tripathi allegedly misrepresented the court’s order, claiming that the court had ordered the release of 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, misleading the BBMB staff. Tripathi was reportedly locked inside Nangal Dam’s guest house by AAP workers on May 8.
On May 6, the high court restrained Punjab and its departments, including police personnel, from interfering in the day-to-day functioning, operation, and regulation of the Bhakra Nangal Dam and Lohand control room water regulation offices managed by the BBMB.
Punjab and Haryana are at loggerheads over water distribution, with the AAP government refusing to share water from Bhakra Dam, stating that the neighboring state has already utilized its share of water. Punjab claims that Haryana has already exhausted its allocated share and that 4,000 cusecs of water were being released on humanitarian grounds.
