Mann said that, in an unprecedented manner, the Chairman of BBMB himself came to Nangal to ‘steal’ the waters of the state. He added that the BBMB acted as a puppet in the hands of the Centre and Haryana governments, but the people of Punjab saw through the facade.

He said that this same BBMB had taken Rs 32 crore from Punjab for important projects, adding that this money was never returned. He noted that BBMB owes the state Rs 142 crore to be precise and said that the government will soon initiate proceedings for the recovery of this money.

Mann said that 3000 posts of Punjab’s quota have been left vacant deliberately by BBMB to weaken the state’s claim over the waters. He said that Punjab no longer has any surplus water to give to any other state.

Mann said that on April 6, Haryana requested water from Punjab for drinking purposes and the state gave 4,000 cusecs of water from its share, “as our Gurus have taught us that giving water to the thirsty is a great act of virtue.”

Meanwhile, the BBMB stipulated that Punjab would get 17,000 cusecs of water, Rajasthan 12,400 cusecs and Haryana 10,300 cusecs in the new cycle of water-sharing that began on Wednesday, during a meeting held on May 15.