Punjab-Haryana water row: High Court asks BBMB Chairman to file affidavit
Just about two days after the State of Punjab was directed to abide by the decision to release 4500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana and not to interfere in the functioning of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday asked Chairman Manoj Tripathi to file an affidavit on his claim that the Punjab Police stopped him from releasing water to Haryana.
Appearing through videoconferencing before the high court Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel, BBMB Chairman Tripathi apprised the court that two BBMB officers directed to release 200 cusecs water to Haryana were restrained by the police agency.
The chairman also claimed he was “gheraoed” at the guest house by some civilians, when the Punjab Police rescued him. Taking a note of his submissions, the Bench asked Tripathi to file his statement on an affidavit.
Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain was also asked to produce minutes of May 2 meeting held under Union Home Secretary’s chairmanship, where it was decided to release 4500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana over a period of eight days to meet its urgent requirement. The matter will now come up for further hearing on May 9.
The Bench was hearing an application for directing the State of Punjab, its instrumentalities and officers to release the chairman and officers from the illegal detention/custody. Directions were also sought for initiation of proceedings for willful disobedience and obstruction in the compliance of high court order dated May 6
The applicants also sought directions for deploying Central Forces/CISF forthwith following “obstruction, hindrance and law and order situation” created by the State of Punjab at Bhakra Nangal Dam and Lohan Control Room Water Regulation
“As per social media reports and news channels, Harjot Singh Bains, Cabinet Minister, Government of
Punjab, has released his statement to the effect that they will not allow water from BBMB to the State of Haryana at any cost. As reported today by a large section of the media, he along with his supporters and police detained the BBMB chairman and its officers. Such illegal act and action of the State of Punjab erodes public trust which is sacrosanct right to liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the application added.
The application was moved through counsel R.Kartikeya and Ridhi Bansal, senior counsel Gurminder Singh appeared for the State of Punjab, while ASG Satya Pal Jain appeared for the Union Government.
Punjab told the Bench during the course of hearing that both the Union of India and the State of Haryana had withheld material facts regarding the release of water by the BBMB. The matter had already been referred by the BBMB to the Central Government on Haryana’s request on April 29 under the BBMB Rules. Senior Advocate Gurminder Singh added that the Centre in this context called the May 2 meeting through the Secretary, Home. Once the matter had been referred to the Central Government, a decision was imminent. But the BBMB passed an illegal resolution on May 3 for release of 8500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
Punjab