The Centre has instructed the Punjab Government to release an additional 4,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra Dam to Haryana for the next eight days to meet the state’s urgent water needs. This decision was made following a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and attended by senior officials from the four partner states of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) — Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan — along with BBMB representatives.

The meeting became necessary after Punjab repeatedly withheld water from Haryana, prompting the Centre’s direct intervention to resolve the issue.

In addition to the current arrangement, it was agreed that during the dam-filling period, the BBMB would provide excess water to Punjab to fulfill any additional requirements. This move is expected to maintain a balanced and fair water-sharing arrangement, ensuring the needs of all partner states are met. Official sources confirmed that the decision was in line with the mutual understanding between the states and BBMB.