Punjab moves HC over water dispute with Haryana, seeks withdrawal of May 6, 9 orders
PTC Web Desk: In a significant development in the ongoing water-sharing conflict between Punjab and Haryana, the Punjab Government has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a review and withdrawal of the court’s orders issued on May 6 and May 9.
According to the petition submitted by Punjab, the High Court had issued four directives on May 6, one of which mandated the implementation of a decision taken during a meeting convened by the Union Home Secretary on May 2. Punjab, however, has contested the validity of this meeting, stating that no official minutes of the meeting were circulated, and only a press note was released afterward.
The Punjab Government argued that such a significant directive—asking Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to release an additional 4500 cusecs of water to Haryana—cannot be enforced solely based on a press release. The petition further stated that, under existing legal provisions, it is the Union Power Secretary and not the Home Secretary who is authorised to intervene in such water-sharing matters.
Punjab has emphasised that the issue pertains to an inter-state water dispute between two states, and as per the Punjab Reorganisation Act, only a designated Water Tribunal has the jurisdiction to resolve such conflicts. The state also accused the BBMB of misleading the court by withholding crucial information, thereby influencing the court’s earlier orders in its favor.
In light of these arguments, the Punjab Government has now formally requested the High Court to either withdraw or amend the orders passed on May 6 and May 9, particularly the directive that mandates water release to Haryana based on the Home Secretary's meeting decision.
The High Court is expected to hear Punjab’s plea within the next couple of days.
- PTC NEWS
