Bhagwant Mann rushes to Nangal fearing BBMB chairman ‘may force’ release of extra water to Haryana

A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court restrained the Punjab government from interfering in the operation and functioning of the Bhakra Nangal dam and Lohand control room, the Chairman of the Bhakra Beas Management Board, Manoj Tripathi, is now headed for Nangal.

As soon as the intimation of his visit was received by the Ropar district administration, the Chief Minister’s office was alerted.

Swinging into action, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also rushed to Nangal. There is fear that the Chairman of the BBMB may force the officers at the dam site to release 4,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, which has become a major bone of contention between the two states.

Sources in the Punjab government have alleged that BBMB officials tried to release water forcible from Nangal dam. After which, police personnel deployed there had to detain them.

The Punjab government, supported by all Opposition parties in the state, has dug in its heels, saying it will not release any additional water to Haryana, beyond the 4,000 cusecs that is being given to the neighboring state after it had exhausted its allocated quota for the eight-month depletion period of the dam. Punjab claims that Haryana exhausted its allocated quota by March 31, though it should have used it until May 21.

On humanitarian grounds, the state has been giving an additional 4,000 cusecs to Haryana since April 4.

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