Saturday, March 29, 2025
Chandigarh, May 2, 2025 –
In a rare show of political unity, all major parties in Punjab gathered at the Punjab Bhawan for an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to address the escalating water crisis in the state. The primary focus of the meeting was to devise a collective strategy to counter the central government’s alleged encroachment on Punjab’s water rights.
The meeting witnessed participation from leaders across the political spectrum:
Aam Aadmi Party: CM Bhagwant Mann and Punjab President Aman Arora
Shiromani Akali Dal: Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema
Congress: Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana K.P. Singh
BJP: Sunil Jakhar and Manoranjan Kalia
Bahujan Samaj Party: Dr. Nachhattar Pal
The core agenda revolved around the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decisions regarding alleged illegal redistribution of Punjab’s water and the issue of supplying excess water to Haryana. It was unanimously agreed to convene a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on May 5 to present a formal resolution on water rights.
Punjab has been facing a sharp decline in its groundwater levels, further compounded by concerns over uranium contamination in drinking water. Inter-state disputes over canal water distribution have also intensified tensions between Punjab and neighboring states.
The upcoming Assembly session aims to declare the water issue a national concern and to push for enforcement of the riparian principle—a legal doctrine that favors water allocation to states through which a river actually flows.
