Punjab slams Haryana over ‘false’ water claims

The North News

Chandigarh, May 23
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal has sharply criticised Haryana for what he called a “deliberate misinformation campaign” regarding water allocations from the Bhakra Main Line (BML) Canal. Goyal rejected Haryana’s claim that it is receiving its full quota of 10,300 cusecs from the BML canal, calling the assertion “factually incorrect” and “an attempt to mislead the public.”

“As of 12 noon today, the BML canal in Punjab has not even reached its full operational capacity of 11,700 cusecs,” Goyal said. “We are currently receiving 9,690 cusecs at the canal’s starting point, out of which Punjab uses 2,025 cusecs, and Haryana is receiving 6,720 cusecs—not the 10,300 they claim,” he said.

The minister added that Delhi and Rajasthan were also receiving their rightful shares, and reiterated that Punjab would exercise its constitutional right to draw its full quota of 3,000 cusecs. “Punjab is committed to fair water sharing, but will not tolerate distortion of facts or political grandstanding,” he said. “Haryana must stop resorting to publicity stunts and instead present accurate information to its citizens,” the minister said.