Naib Singh Saini hits back at Bhagwant Mann

Amid growing tensions with Haryana over water sharing, all parties in Punjab on Friday unanimously rejected the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release an additional 4,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. At the same time, now Haryana CM Naib Singh Saini has hit back on the water sharing dispute. Saini said that I want to tell Mann sahab (Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann) that this water is not only of Punjab but of the whole country. On April 23, the Bhakra Beas Management Board had decided to give 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, but the Mann government did not honor this decision. In the BBMP meeting on April 30, a resolution was passed to implement the April 23 decision. Saini said that Haryana has been given 10.67 MAF water, while it has been allocated 12.55 MAF water. Punjab is using more water than its share. Haryana is getting 17% less water than originally allocated to it. At least don’t do politics on drinking water. Today, Haryana has drinking water related problems. Haryana’s irrigation and water resources minister Shruti Chaudhary on Friday said the state government may approach the Supreme Court in connection with the latest dispute with Punjab over water sharing. Chaudhary said the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) allocates water to partner states and Punjab should not object to it. She also accused the Bhagwant Mann government of Punjab of politicising the issue. “We had tried not to let the matter escalate. But Mann gave it a political colour,” Chaudhary said. She said the Haryana government was fully committed to protect the state’s legitimate share. “If the issue is not resolved, we will approach the Supreme Court. We have complete data of the water Haryana is getting. All relevant facts will be presented before the court,” the minister said.