NANGAL | May 20, 2025 —The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) sit-in protest at the Nangal dam against the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release extra water from Punjab’s share to Haryana entered its final day today, with party leaders planning to culminate the agitation with a political rally on Tuesday.
The protest began on May 1, following a surprise visit by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to the Nangal dam, where he halted authorities from proceeding with the water release. Since then, AAP workers have staged a continuous dharna, claiming that Punjab’s water rights are being systematically undermined.
Sources within the party confirmed that the dharna will be formally concluded tomorrow, after a large rally in Nangal. “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will address the gathering, and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal is also expected to join and speak,” a senior party functionary said.
Meanwhile, sources within BBMB indicated that extra water will be released from the dam at midnight, as per the allocation decided by the board’s technical committee last week. The water — meant for Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan — will be released through the Bhakra mainline canal.
Officials noted that the release coincides with the end of the depletion period of the Bhakra dam, which runs annually from September 20 to May 20. The following months are categorized as the filling period, with snowmelt and monsoons expected to replenish water levels.
At today’s dharna, Sanjeev Gautam, chairman of the Guru Ravidas Ayurvedic University, lauded the Chief Minister’s efforts, stating: “Bhagwant Mann has saved Punjab’s rightful share of water. BBMB has long been misusing Punjab’s quota, and this government stood up.”
The issue of water sharing remains politically and emotionally charged in Punjab, with concerns mounting over diminishing river flows and inter-state disputes. AAP leaders have indicated they will continue to raise the issue at the national level, even as this particular protest concludes.
