Punjab gets one day from High Court to respond to Centre, Haryana, BBMB on water release
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday gave the Punjab government one last opportunity to respond to the replies filed by the Central Government, the state of Haryana, and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) opposing its plea to recall a key direction in the court's May 6 order. The order had directed Punjab to release additional water to Haryana amid the latter's ongoing water crisis.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel granted Punjab a day after senior advocate Gurminder Singh, appearing for the state, sought more time to file a rejoinder. The matter will now be heard on May 22.
The latest stand-off began on April 23, when Haryana sought 8,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra-Nangal project, which is an additional share of 4,500 cusecs of water. The proposal was vehemently opposed by the Punjab government.
The hearing pertains to Punjab's application seeking recall or modification of direction number three of the High Court's May 6 order in a pending Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning BBMB operations and water allocations. When the matter was taken up on Tuesday, Singh contended there were 'misstatements' in the affidavits filed by Haryana, the Centre, and the BBMB.
While the Bench initially asked Punjab to file its reply by the evening, it relented after the counsel sought more time, calling it the 'last chance'.
Haryana terms Punjab's plea an abuse of process
In a strongly worded affidavit filed through M L Rana, Chief Engineer of Haryana's Irrigation and Water Resources Department, the state accused Punjab of attempting to evade contempt proceedings and obstructing BBMB's lawful operations. Calling the move an 'abuse of the judicial process', Haryana said Punjab's May 1 police deployment at the Bhakra-Nangal Dam to block water release was 'unconstitutional' and risked setting a dangerous precedent.
Haryana emphasised its acute water crisis, especially during May when the Kharif sowing season begins, and said the BBMB's decision to allocate 8,500 cusecs of water was a technical determination, not a political or inter-state water dispute.
It accused Punjab of habitual defiance — citing its historic failure to construct the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal despite repeated court orders — and claimed Punjab had overdrawn its water share by 22.45 per cent over the past two decades, while Haryana's excess use stood at 7.68 per cent.
The affidavit also detailed how BBMB's decisions, upheld in multiple meetings between April 23 and May 3, were blocked by Punjab, including through the use of force. Despite a May 2 meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary where Punjab reportedly did not object to releasing 4,500 cusecs to Haryana, the state later prevented implementation, Haryana claimed.
BBMB questions maintainability of Punjab's plea
In its response, BBMB termed Punjab's application a delaying tactic. It argued that Punjab's challenge came only after the court issued contempt directions on May 9, and not immediately after the May 6 ruling.
The Board denied Punjab's claim that the court had adjudicated a water-sharing issue, clarifying that the case pertained to non-interference in BBMB's functioning. The BBMB defended its decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana as a technical call made through proper channels, and not subject to Punjab's veto.
BBMB highlighted Punjab's deployment of police at the Nangal Headworks as a deliberate obstruction of court-mandated water release, and said Punjab had not availed the legal route of making a representation to the Centre under Rule 7 of the BBMB Rules.
Centre backs BBMB, blames Punjab for non-compliance
An affidavit filed by Anil Kumar Gautam, Deputy Director at the BBMB desk in the Ministry of Power, also criticised Punjab's non-cooperation. It traced the chain of events from the technical committee's April 23 decision to release water, the BBMB's April 30 resolution confirming it, and the subsequent meetings where the release was re-affirmed — even amid national security concerns due to India's tensions with Pakistan.
The Centre said Punjab failed to submit any formal representation under Rule 7 to challenge BBMB's decision and instead obstructed operations on the ground. It pointed to the rising water levels in Bhakra Dam to argue that there was no shortage of supply, and sought dismissal of Punjab's application with costs.
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