
Will use every constitutional, legal remedy to get our water share: Saini
A resolution was passed by consensus during an all-party meeting asking the Punjab government to implement the April 23 and 30 decisions of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to allocate 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana unconditionally.
With the neighbouring Punjab not showing any inclination to abide with the advice of the central government to allow flow of 8,500 cusecs of Bhakra water to Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini on Saturday said that the state will not stay quiet and use every constitutional platform and legal remedy to protect its interests.
Saini who chaired an all-party meeting on Saturday said that a resolution was passed by consensus asking the Punjab government to implement the April 23 and 30 decisions of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to allocate 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana unconditionally.
Leaders cutting across party lines – Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Udai Bhan from Congress, Mohan Lal Badoli from BJP, Dushyant Chautala of the JJP, Rampal Majra and Aditya Devi Lal of the INLD and Sushil Gupta from the AAP - attended the Saturday meeting.
The CM said that by refusing to comply with the allocation of water decided by the BBMB for Haryana, Punjab government has not only done injustice with Haryana but initiated a direct attack on federalism. Saini said this water is meant for drinking purposes and by curtailing the allocation, Punjab is doing great injustice.
'It is a wrong precedent being set by the Punjab government. A state cannot be allowed to hit at the federal structure of the country. Punjab being a border state should act in a more responsible manner. We do not want any confrontation with Punjab but are seeking the co-operation from Punjab,' Saini said a press briefing after the meeting.
Saini said that Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann who has taken oath of Constitution is indulging in an unconstitutional act by refusing to comply with the BBMB decision.
'This water belongs to the nation. It does not belong to one particular state. This is not a such a big issue as has been made out by the Punjab government. For years, Haryana has been getting more water from Bhakra at Haryana contact point even when the water level was low. For instance, in 2018 and 2019 when the dam water level was quite low at about 1,533 feet and 1,623 feet respectively, Haryana got 8,135 cusecs and 10,183 cusecs respectively,' Saini said. The CM said that if the water is not utilised adequately from the dam as its level is at 1,555 feet now, it will get wasted as it will have to be released to Pakistan.
Saini said the Punjab CMs claim that Haryana has exhausted its share of water on March 31, is misleading. 'The BBMB data shows that Haryana has used its quota. But for April 2025, BBMBs technical committee allocated additional water to Haryana. Mann's move to not allow the additional water to flow to Haryana is not only unethical but illegal and unconstitutional,' Saini said.
Saini said that the Punjab CM should not forgot that Haryana was not allocated less than 9,000 cusecs of water in the months of April and May in 2022, 2023, 2024 at Haryana contact point HCP. 'In May 2022, an average 9,727 cusecs was allocated while in May 2023, an average 9,850 cusec and in May 2024 an average 10,067 cusecs was allocated,' he said.
'The water allocated in May from Bhakra is used by Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan for their drinking needs only. In the last many years, about 800 cusecs of Haryana water has been allocated to Rajasthan, 400 cusecs to Punjab and 500 cusecs for Delhi for fulfilling its drinking water needs,' Saini said.
Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that deployment of Punjab Police at Nangal dam to prevent release of water to Haryana was a serious matter.
BOX
Punjab has been getting more water from Bhakra Nangal as compared to its share for the last 10 years. Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini on Saturday said that the technical committee of the BBMB in its April 23 meeting decided to allocate 8,500 cusecs water to Haryana. The April 30 meeting of the Board of BBMB reiterated the April 23 decision of the technical committee. 'Haryana's total allocation is 12.55 million acre feet (MAF) but it is actually getting 10.67 MAF water. On the other hand, neighbouring Punjab's allocation is 14.67 MAF but it is utilising 17.15 MAF water. Thus, its clear that Punjab is using more water than its allocation while Haryana is getting 17% less water of its allocation,'' Saini said at a briefing.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Shongtong-Karcham gets 2026 deadline, HP bets big on hydro
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has set a firm Nov 2026 deadline for the completion of the long-delayed Shongtong-Karcham hydroelectric project, saying the 450-MW plant will generate Rs 1,000 crore in annual revenue and strengthen the state's green energy ambitions. Sukhu on Monday inspected the under-construction site in Kinnaur district — visiting both the power house at Karcham and the barrage site at Powari — where he met engineers and workers. He said that even though the project had dragged on for 13 years, the state's current Congress govt had fast-tracked its progress and was committed to commissioning it on schedule. "This project symbolises our focus on tapping river resources to drive economic growth," Sukhu said, adding that the state was moving actively to regain control over stalled or externally-managed hydroelectric initiatives. He claimed that the govt was assessing the total expenditure incurred on other major hydropower projects — including Dhaulasidh, Luhri, and Sunni — with plans to resume and regulate their construction under state-led terms. "Unlike the previous BJP govt, which compromised state interests, we are prioritising Himachal Pradesh's control over its energy assets," Sukhu said. The CM also announced that HP was advancing plans for a geothermal power facility at Tapri in Kinnaur and expanding its capacity in solar and green hydrogen energy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Despite being an energy-surplus state, HP still buys electricity from neighbouring states during winter for Rs 5 to 6 a unit. Sukhu said the state was ramping up solar-energy generation to offset this seasonal gap. "It has 626 MW worth of solar-power projects in various stages of development currently through the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL)," he said. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and senior district officials accompanied Sukhu during the site visit. MSID:: 121728609 413 |


Hindustan Times
37 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Can Donald Trump call for Gov Newsom's arrest over LA riots? Here's what the law says
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested his border czar Tom Homan should arrest Gov Gavin Newsom amid riots in Los Angeles. 'I would do it … I think it would be a great thing,' Trump responded when asked if Homan should arrest the governor, who has challenged the administration's mobilization of National Guard in LA. Newsom, too, was quick to slam Trump. "The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America," he said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. Read More: Los Angeles protests: 'Incendiary devices' hurled at police horses, says LAPD No, Trump cannot unilaterally arrest Gov Newsom over riots in Los Angeles. The US Constitution and legal system have clear checks and balances that prevent a former president—or even a sitting president—from directly arresting state officials without due process. Separation of Powers (Article II & III of the Constitution) The president does not have the judicial authority to issue warrants. Only law enforcement, backed by court orders, can detain someone. Any attempt to arrest Newsom without due process would violate the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which guarantee fair legal procedures. State Sovereignty – Tenth Amendment Under the US system of federalism, states like California retain control over their own officials and law enforcement. The president cannot interfere in state governance unless federal law is violated and due process is followed. Read More: After tear gas and street fires, an Los Angeles community cleans up as National Guard troops arrive Military Limitations – The Posse Comitatus Act (18 US Code § 1385) This law forbids the use of the US military to carry out domestic law enforcement activities without explicit congressional authorization. Even in times of civil unrest, the president cannot use the military to detain or arrest state leaders like Newsom. No Legal Authority Post-Presidency As a former president, Trump has no legal powers—executive, military, or judicial. He cannot issue federal commands or make arrests.


Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Over 330 infiltrators pushed back: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the Assam assembly on Monday that over 330 illegal infiltrators were pushed back in the past few months, and that this operation would be expedited in the coming days. "It is not possible for them to return and we are firm on this. The way illegal immigrants have entered the state from Bangladesh and Pakistan, we must be more proactive to keep the state safe," Sarma said while replying to a demand by Opposition members, including Congress' Debabrata Saikia and AIUDF's Ashraful Hussain, for a debate on the issue of the National Register of Citizens . Saikia said while the government has claimed to have pushed back illegal foreigners, some of these foreigners have re-entered Assam, making the government's stand vague on the issue. Sarma said, "I am an Assamese first and chief minister later." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The price of dental implants may surprise you Dental Implants | Search Ads Search Now Undo