Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said his government is repealing the Dam Safety Act and will bring its own Act because we know to safeguard our own dams.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while speaking on Bhakra dam water sharing row between Haryana and Punjab said his government is repealing the Dam Safety Act and Punjab will bring its own Act because we know to safeguard our own dams.
Bhagwant Mann said as per the data, they (Haryana) used up their share by 31st March. “Still, we are providing them with drinking water. They will receive water on the night of 20th May. For 15 days, they will have to suffer the consequences of their mistake. We had written six letters to them. There used to be a meeting every month, and we used to write to them every month that their water share would finish this time…Still, they paid no heed…Punjab repealed the Dam Safety Act.”
He stated that the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s conduct is dictatorial, which has been strongly opposed, and it has been pointed out that BBMB has become “white elephant” as Punjab bears expenses but the state is bypassed and decisions are passed.
In the meantime, some of the important resolutions were unanimously passed during the special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly that was called on the ongoing water dispute between Punjab and Haryana.
The Punjab government said it will not give even a drop of water from its share to Haryana as it is providing 4 thousand cusecs of water on humanitarian basis, it will be continued.
The Punjab assembly decided that as the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has become a puppet of the central government, a new board should be reconstituted.
Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers flow only through Punjab and the amount of water that was there when the water agreement was signed in 1981 is no longer there. In such a situation, a new agreement should be made for the distribution of water from these rivers.
There are rules for convening meetings of BBMB. But the board is not following the law. Meetings are being called illegally at night. The Assembly directs that BBMB follow the rules.
How much water is to be given to which state from Bhakra Dam is written in the Water Treaty of 1981. The BBMB has no right to change it and if it takes any decision, it is unconstitutional. The Assembly directed the BBMB to refrain from taking such decisions.
