Centre approves CISF deployment at Bhakra Nangal Dam amid Punjab-Haryana water row

Chandigarh: The Union Home Ministry has approved the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Bhakra Nangal Dam in response to the ongoing water crisis between Punjab and Haryana.

In a letter to the Director (Security) of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the central government said that 296 CISF posts have been sanctioned for the dam.

The deployment will be fully funded by the BBMB, with an estimated cost of Rs 8.58 crore for the financial year 2025–26, amounting to Rs 2.96 lakh per security personnel.

The BBMB will also be responsible for arranging accommodation, transportation, and communication facilities for the deployed forces. Of the total expenditure, Punjab is expected to bear approximately 60 per cent.

The development comes amid tensions over the release of excess water to Haryana, a matter on which Punjab had recently taken a firm stand.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a sit-in at the Nangal Dam for around 20 days, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann leading the protest.