A deepening water dispute between Punjab and Hary- ana has turned into a severe drinking water crisis across several districts in Hary- ana. The issue began after the Punjab government drastically reduced Hary- ana’s share of Bhakra canal water—from 9,500 cusecs to just 4,000 cusecs—trig- gering panic in cities and villages alike. The internal reports sug- gest that the districts like Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Rohtak, and Mahendragarh are the worst-hit. With tap and canal water drying up, residents have turned to private water tankers, some paying up to three times the normal rates. In rural areas, hand pumps and tubewells are being used, but the situation remains difficult, especially in isolated farm settlements (dhanis), where tankers are the only option. In Rohtak, according to the Irrigation Department, 1,500 cusecs of water is being supplied through the JLN canal. Despite this, the water level in the tanks hasn’t increased significant- ly, and only 3 to 4 feet of wa- ter is available. As a result, water is being supplied to households only once a day. Twenty-two teams are inspecting water availabil- ity and quality on a priority basis. Whereas in Rewari several water tanks not get- ting full supply. The reports suggest that water arrived in the canals after six days, but overhead tanks at water stations could not be filled. Around 30% of water tanks, mostly located in tail-end areas, are not receiving full water supply. The district has not received water for irrigation either, which has severely affected the sowing of moong and cotton crops. In Hisar district water be- ing supplied to water tanks via pump sets from canals. In the district, leftover water from canals is being diverted from agricultural use and pumped into water tanks using pump sets. Water has been diverted into the Balsamand minor canal, and eight tractormounted pump sets have been deployed to fill the tanks. Four pump sets are being used for the water tank in the Kamri area, and another four are being used to fill the HSVP tank located on Tosham Road. Whereas, the canals in Charkhi Dadri were receiving only 205 cusecs against the requirement of nearly 1000 cusecs. The reports suggest that water is being supplied in the city every alternate day. Meanwhile, all the political parties in the state have slammed the Punjab government for curtailing the water supply causing a severe water crises in southern districts of the state. Officials from Haryana’s Public Health and Irrigation departments say emergency measures are underway. Water is being pumped into empty tanks from tubewells and ponds using additional motors. In Fatehabad and Sirsa, engineers confirmed some improvement as water levels in minor canals slightly increased on Friday evening. But irrigation for crops remains halted until at least May 21. The Bhakra Canal, which begins at the Gobind Sagar reservoir of the Bhakra Dam in Himachal and flows through Punjab into Haryana, is a vital water lifeline for the state. Nearly 14.27 lakh hectares of farmland in Haryana depend on this system. Bhakra’s water also supports drinking and irrigation needs in parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi. However, groundwater overuse and the expansion of paddy cultivation in both states have pushed the water system to its limits. In Punjab, the area under paddy has risen fourteen times since 1960. Similarly, Haryana has seen a 30-fold increase in tubewell installations since 1966, with most districts now relying heavily on groundwater as canal water shrinks. Water experts and senior officials are calling for urgent policy corrections and cooperation between both states. “It’s time political differences take a backseat. Curtailing the water supply is setting a wrong precedent. People must come first,” said a senior water resources expert.
