Water Wars: Punjab and Haryana's Decades-Long Dispute Rages On

Haryana and Punjab are embroiled in a renewed dispute over the Bhakra Beas Management Board's decision to release extra water to Haryana. The controversial distribution of Ravi-Beas waters has been a point of contention since Haryana's creation in 1966. Punjab, led by AAP's Bhagwant Mann, opposes the allocation, citing limited resources.

The water-sharing conflict between Haryana and Punjab has intensified following the Bhakra Beas Management Board's (BBMB) decision to release 4,500 cusecs of additional water to Haryana. Punjab, led by AAP Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has vocally opposed this allocation, reaffirming its stance that it has no surplus water to spare.

This dispute traces back decades, stemming from the division of Punjab in 1966 which created Haryana and led to contentious water distribution from the Ravi-Beas rivers. Despite a Supreme Court directive for a canal to facilitate water sharing, Punjab halted canal construction, citing insufficient water resources.

The conflict has now escalated to political confrontations, with Punjab accusing Haryana and the BJP-led central government of undue pressure. Haryana, on its part, argues that Punjab is playing politics at the cost of necessary resources. Both states continue to grapple with the implications of this ongoing water crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)