Chandigarh [India], May 7 (HBTV): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his refusal to release additional water to Haryana, accusing him of attempting to politicise the issue.

Saini clarified that Haryana had not received its full share of water, stating that the state had only received 60 per cent of its demand in the last week.

‘He is trying to politicise this issue. I would like to clarify that the SYL (Sutlej-Yamuna Link) canal matter is under the supervision of the Supreme Court. But this issue is not about SYL's water. It is about the issue of drinking water... Haryana has not yet received its full share. In the last week, Haryana received only 4,000 cusecs of drinking water, which is approximately 60% of the state's total demand. If BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) provides the remaining water per Haryana's demand, it will be only 0.0001% of Bhakra Dam's water reservoir,’ Saini said while speaking to the media.

He further alleged that following the Aam Aadmi Party’s defeat in Delhi, Bhagwant Mann was punishing Delhi’s residents by disrupting the water supply.

‘If there is less water at the contact point of Haryana, then Delhi's drinking water supply will also be affected. As long as the AAP government was in power in Delhi, Bhagwant Mann had no objection to the water being sent to Delhi. But now, since AAP lost in Delhi, he is doing this to punish the people of Delhi,’ Saini said.

He urged Mann to rise above party lines and act in the national interest.

‘I request Bhagwant Mann to rise above his party politics and provide drinking water to Haryana. It is necessary to empty the Bhakra Dam water reservoir before June so that rainwater can be stored during the monsoon. If there is no space left in the water reservoir, excess water will go to Pakistan via Hari-ke-Pattan, which is neither in the interest of Punjab nor the nation. Bhagwant Mann, I request you to rise above narrow perspectives, cooperate for the nation's interest, and ensure the supply of proper drinking water to Haryana,’ he added.

Saini also questioned Mann’s remarks about low water levels in the Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams, stating that he had ignored the status of the Bhakra Nangal Dam, which supplies drinking water to Haryana.

‘Bhagwant Mann advocated the low water level in Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dam, but did not explain the situation of Bhakra Dam, from where Haryana gets its drinking water. Bhagwant Mann stated that, before today, neither Punjab nor the BBMB had kept track of water levels. This is false. Along with BBMB, the governments of Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, and Haryana continuously monitor every drop of water at all times. On 26 April, I informed him on the phone that Punjab officials were reluctant to implement the BBMB's technical committee's decision to release water to Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan on 23 April,’ Saini said.

He also accused Mann of misleading the people of Haryana by backing out of his commitment to release the water.

‘Mann assured me that he would release the water by the evening and said that he would also congratulate me on the phone for this. However, the next day, on 27 April, the Punjab officials did nothing until 2 PM, and even stopped responding to phone calls from Haryana officials. The next day, I wrote him a letter to make him aware of this situation, but instead of replying to the letter for 48 hours, Mann released a video, and for political selfishness, he sidelined the facts and tried to misguide the people of Haryana,’ the Haryana Chief Minister added.

(ANI)