Another Water War This Time In India

A special session of the Punjab legislative assembly is scheduled today and observers expect the assembly to pass a resolution on the distribution of river waters between Punjab and its neighbouring state, Haryana. In the past fortnight the two states have sparred with each other over allocation of water from the Bhakra-Nangal project. Haryana’s demand for an extra 4,500 cusecs of water to tide over its immediate need for drinking water has been met with strong opposition from Punjab.

The dispute began when Haryana requested the technical committee of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)—the organisation tasked with managing the Bhakra project—for extra water. The BBMB is under the control of the Union Government but has representation from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and two nominees of the Centre on it. The Board acceded to Haryana’s request at the end of April. This immediately led to accusations of partisan behaviour by the Board as members belonging to BJP-ruled states allegedly voted along partisan lines. Punjab refused to carry out this decision even as Haryana has said that it will approach the Supreme Court.

On Friday, Punjab convened an all-party meeting with all agreeing that Punjab’s rights should be protected. A day earlier, on Thursday, the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP) held a dharna at the site of the Nangal Dam which lies within Punjab’s territory in Rupnagar district. Harjot Singh Bains, a minister in Punjab government, said they had “taken control” of the Nangal Dam and that no water would be released to Haryana. The state government has beefed up police presence in Nangal.

Earlier, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said that, “They are now trying to rob Punjab of its water. They should have used their share judiciously. The BJP is now pressurising Punjab to release additional 8,500 cusecs through BBMB. But we do not have a drop extra. We have a paddy sowing season coming up. There is already demand for canal water,” he said.

Mann said that BBMB has already allocated 2.987 MAF (million acre feet) of water to Haryana for utilisation by 21^st May and Haryana has used 103% of that amount. Punjab was allocated 5.512 MAF but has only used 89% of that amount, he said.

OLD PROBLEM

There are multiple problems in the allocation and use of water in the river basins of this part of the country. For one, the amount of water available has gone down over the decades due to reducing snowmelt. For another, the demand for water—especially in Punjab—continues to gallop as the state is addicted to water guzzling crops like rice even as no amount of persuasion by the Centre has made it think about diversifying its cropping pattern. The money required to buy the stock of rice grown by Punjab is ultimately borne by the Centre.

Constitutionally, development and regulation of inter-state rivers and river valleys lies with the Centre (Entry 56, Union List, Seventh Schedule) while a state can deal with water-related matters only within its territory (Entry 17, State List, Seventh Schedule). Inter-state water disputes are the exclusive domain of the Centre (Article 262). Punjab and Haryana have had a long history of these disputes.

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