CHANDIGARH: Cutting across political lines, all Punjab parties on Friday unanimously decided not to spare a single drop of additional water to Haryana from the Bhakra dam. Following an all-party meet over sharing of water with Haryana as per the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) order, leaders said an all-party delegation is likely to meet Prime Minister Modi over the standoff.
The two hour meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was attended by the representatives of the seven Punjab political parties who unanimously backed the state government to decide the next course of action for safeguarding Punjab’s rights on its waters.
After the meeting, the CM asserted that the order to release water to Haryana was being forced upon Punjab and all parties are together on the issue of safeguarding the state’s waters. He said after hearing the views of all parties, the government will now prepare a plan of action. “Let me reiterate that there is no politics and no different political line on the issue of safeguarding the state’s waters and we are all together... they will later seek time from the Prime Minister.’’
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar and senior BJP leader and former minister Manoranjan Kalia reiterated that Punjab had no water to spare for Haryana and this injustice will not be tolerated, while saying confrontation should have been avoided. The BJP state unit would support the state government on the issue, they said.