Sun May 04 03:52:32 UTC 2025: ## Punjab-Haryana Water Dispute Escalates: Court Petition Filed
**Chandigarh, May 4, 2025** – A fresh dispute over water sharing between Punjab and Haryana has erupted, leading to a petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The petition alleges that the AAP-led Punjab government is illegally obstructing the flow of water to Haryana by deploying police at the Bhakra headworks.
The petitioner, advocate Ravinder Singh Dhull, claims that Punjab is preventing the release of the 8,500 cusecs of water allocated to Haryana by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) technical committee on April 23rd. Punjab has reportedly capped the allocation to Haryana at 4,000 cusecs and deployed police to control the regulator gates at the Bhakra headworks and Lohand Khud escape channel. This action, the petition argues, violates the fundamental rights of Haryana residents under Article 21.
Punjab’s justification for its actions is that Haryana has already exceeded its allocated water usage by 103% as of March. However, the petitioner contends that Punjab has no legal right to unilaterally restrict water flow and that its actions constitute a “big law and order blunder.” The petition further highlights that the Bhakra dam is a critical source of irrigation water for several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s recent visit to the Nangal dam, where security has been significantly increased, further fuels the tension. The state government has reportedly locked the room controlling water supply, handing the key to the police.
The High Court is now expected to intervene in this escalating conflict, which threatens to severely impact water availability for irrigation and drinking purposes in Haryana and potentially other states. The case underscores the ongoing complexities of water resource management in the region.
First Piper 