CHANDIGARH: The water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana has intensified, with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) transferring its Director of Water Regulation, Akashdeep Singh, a Punjab cadre officer, and replacing him with Sanjeev Kumar from the Haryana cadre, an unexpected move that has escalated tensions between the two states.Punjab has reacted strongly by stepping up security at the regulator end of the Nangal dam amid fears of a law and order problem following the BBMB’s decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana on “humanitarian grounds”. The decision has been vehemently opposed by Punjab, which claims that Haryana has already utilised 104 per cent of its water share for the current accounting season, from September 22, 2024, to May 20, 2025.Sources said the security enhancement was a precautionary measure in response to the heated atmosphere. “So, taking precautionary measures, the security has been stepped up,” said an official.Adding to the controversy, transfer orders issued for both officers—Akashdeep Singh and Sanjeev Kumar—stated that Singh had requested the transfer. However, Singh has sent a letter to the BBMB denying making any such request. Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Engineer wrote to the BBMB, contending that Sanjeev Kumar has experience only in dam safety, not in water regulation, and demanded an immediate revocation of the transfer.Sources claimed Singh had been insisting on releasing water to Haryana only upon receipt of an official indent from Punjab, as per the BBMB’s regulation manual. His removal is being seen as a step towards overriding Punjab’s resistance to the release.During a five-hour BBMB technical committee meeting held yesterday, the decision to release the water was finalised despite strong objections from Punjab officials. They argued that Haryana had already consumed its quota and that water levels in the Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams were lower than last year. Punjab found itself isolated as BJP-ruled Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi reportedly joined forces to push for the release, while Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh remained neutral.The BBMB is responsible for regulating water distribution from the Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams, which serve the irrigation and other needs of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
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