Punjab CM visits Nangal Dam, accuses BBMB of trying to release additional water to Haryana

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday accused the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities of trying to release additional water to Haryana.

While addressing the media and AAP workers at Nangal, he said it was for the third time in a fortnight that he had visited Nangal following the BBMB’s efforts to release extra water to Haryana.

Mann said the BBMB authorities would be held responsible for the law-and-order situation in case they tried to release extra water to Haryana from the Punjab quota.

He said the Punjab government had written to the BBMB to hold the next meeting of the board to decide the water quota to be released to partner states from next cycle starting May 20; however, the BBMB had not convened it.

AAP workers on Sunday morning sat on dharna at the Nangal Dam alleging that the BBMB officials had tried to release additional water to Haryana this morning.

Following this, Punjab police blocked the vehicular traffic passing through the dam bridge to Nangal town.

Education Minister Harjot Bains alleged that the BBMB officers had tried to release additional water illegally to Haryana early this morning following which a large number of people from adjoining villages gathered at the dam.

Due to security reasons, the dharna by AAP workers had been shifted around 100 metres away from the Nangal Dam on Friday. However, on Sunday, AAP workers again assembled at the dam to protest.