Farmers oppose BBMB’s water allocation decision, submit memorandum to Faridkot MLA

Members of the Kirti Kisan Union today submitted a public memorandum to Faridkot MLA Gurditt Sekhon, opposing the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) recent decision to allocate additional water to Haryana. The delegation also demanded that the Punjab Assembly pass a resolution rejecting the Dam Safety Act during its upcoming special session on May 5.

Union leaders, including Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala, Rajinder Kingra, Gurjeet Brar, Nishan Bhullar, and Amarjit Pannu, were present during the meeting. They accused successive Central Governments of consistently discriminating against Punjab, citing the long-standing neglect of the riparian principle in inter-state water distribution.

The leaders criticised the BJP-led Central Government for centralising authority through the Dam Safety Act, claiming it stripped states of their decision-making powers on crucial water infrastructure. They also blamed the AAP-led Punjab government for not taking a firm stand against the Act, saying the state's inaction has weakened its position.

The memorandum calls for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to shift the centre of the water rights struggle from Nangal to Delhi, emphasising that the core issue lies with the Central Government. Farmers insisted that all inter-state river water issues be resolved based on the riparian principle and included opposition to the proposed construction of the Sharda-Yamuna Link Canal.

Highlighting the growing water crisis in Punjab, the union demanded that canal water be made available to every farm and clean drinking water be supplied to every household. They warned that the outcome of the May 5 Assembly session would reveal whether Punjab’s political parties are serious about water rights or merely staging political theatrics.

The farmers urged all MLAs to raise their voices against the BBMB decision and the Dam Safety Act in the Assembly session, calling on them to stand up against the Centre’s high-handedness and the Punjab government’s negligence.

The BBMB’s recent move to give additional water to Haryana has reignited long-standing tensions over river water sharing between Punjab and its neighbouring states. The Dam Safety Act, passed by the Parliament in 2021, has also drawn criticism from Punjab for allegedly eroding state authority over water management and dam infrastructure.