The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed five resolutions asserting its rights over river waters and water infrastructure, maintaining that the state had been treated unfairly in water-sharing arrangements and that the Centre’s laws and administrative mechanisms infringed upon its constitutional rights.Among others, the resolutions sought a share in Yamuna waters, payment from Rajasthan for water supplied, and repeal of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. The resolutions also sought Punjab’s control over three irrigation headworks and measures to utilise Ravi waters flowing into Pakistan.The resolutions were tabled by Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal.Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that Punjab would not surrender its rightful share of water. “Water is a state subject, and the control of headworks rests with the states. Punjab will vigorously pursue its legitimate rights and will not allow the state’s interests to be sacrificed,” he said.The resolutions were passed in the absence of Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP legislators. Rebel Akali MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and BSP MLA Nachattar Pal were present in the House.Share in Yamuna watersThe first resolution asserted Punjab’s historical and legal claim to Yamuna waters, arguing that the river, like the Ravi and Beas, flowed through undivided Punjab before the state’s reorganisation in 1966. While the Ravi-Beas waters were considered during the reorganisation, the Yamuna was excluded from the exercise, it said.Citing a March 12, 1954, agreement between undivided Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Goyal said Punjab had been entitled to two-thirds of the Yamuna waters. The resolution also referred to a 1972 Irrigation Commission report recording that some areas of present-day Punjab fell within the Yamuna basin.Story continues below this adIt questioned why Punjab’s claim had been overlooked when Haryana, a successor state of Punjab, continued to claim a share in Ravi-Beas waters. Punjab was also excluded from the May 12, 1994, memorandum of understanding among Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan on Yamuna water allocation.With the agreement providing for a review after 2025, the Assembly called for Punjab’s inclusion as a beneficiary. It asked the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to decide the state’s April 2025 complaint seeking a tribunal to determine its share and said Punjab should approach the Supreme Court if the Centre failed to act.Questioning Haryana’s claim over Ravi-Beas waters, Mann said, “It is unfair that Haryana stakes its claim over Ravi-Beas waters while Punjab’s rightful share in Yamuna waters is ignored, despite the Yamuna being part of undivided Punjab”.Mann said the government was simultaneously strengthening the state’s irrigation infrastructure. He said canal water access had been expanded from 22 per cent to 80 per cent of agricultural fields in four years, with 14,000 km of underground pipelines laid. The government had also revived the Kandi Canal after nearly four decades and operationalised eight new canals in Pathankot, Amritsar and Gurdaspur, he said, adding that 60.80 lakh acres were being irrigated through these efforts.Story continues below this adConrtol over three headworksThe second resolution sought permanent administrative control of the Ropar, Harike and Ferozepur headworks, currently under the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) under Section 79(1)(c) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. Goyal argued that the three structures were located within Punjab’s territory and that their operation, particularly during floods, required decisions based on local conditions. The resolution cited the practice of states managing headworks and barrages within their territorial jurisdiction, even when these supply water to other states. It also argued that transferring control to Punjab would not affect Haryana, as the three headworks did not supply water to it.The Assembly called for an amendment to the 1966 Act and renewed its resolve to pursue the pending Supreme Court case challenging Sections 78 and 79.Repeal of Dam safety Act, 2021The third resolution reiterated Punjab’s demand for repeal of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which the state government contends infringes upon its constitutional powers.“This law fully empowers the central government to directly control the rivers and dams of the states, even if the dam is entirely within the state’s borders. This is against India’s federal structure and directly undermines the sovereign right of states like Punjab over their water,” the resolution read.Story continues below this ad“Therefore, this House demands from the central government that the Dam Safety Act, 2021, be repealed immediately and the Government of Punjab rejects the Act completely,” it said.The House recalled that it had unanimously sought repeal of the legislation on May 5, 2025, but had received no communication from the Centre on action taken.The resolution argued that water, irrigation, canals, drainage, embankments, water storage and water power fell within the State List and maintained that the operation and maintenance of dams located wholly within Punjab should remain the state government’s responsibility.Royalty from RajasthanThe fourth resolution demanded payment from Rajasthan for water supplied from the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas. Citing the 1920 agreement under which Sutlej waters were supplied to the erstwhile Bikaner State, now part of Rajasthan, through the Bikaner Canal, Goyal said the arrangement provided for payment of charges.The Assembly said Rajasthan used the water for irrigation, drinking supplies, industries and commercial purposes while recovering charges and earning revenue. Punjab’s Water Resources Department had written to Rajasthan in March and May 2026 and issued a demand notice in August, but had received neither a response nor payment, Goyal said.Story continues below this adMann vowed to fight from courts to streets and questioned Rajasthan’s continued access to Punjab’s water without payment. “Punjab has a legitimate claim to Rs 1.44 lakh crore in royalties for its river waters. Rajasthan continues to receive water from Punjab free of cost and uses it for economic benefit. The people of Punjab, particularly our farmers, have made immense sacrifices to feed the nation. They cannot be expected to accept discrimination when it comes to their own natural resources,” Mann said, adding Punjab had received royalty on river waters until 1960, after which payments stopped.The House urged Rajasthan to acknowledge its liability, called upon the Centre to resolve the question of water costs left open under the 1955 agreement and said Punjab would pursue recovery through constitutional and legal forums.Water to PakistanThe fifth resolution addressed water flowing into Pakistan through the Ravi. It maintained that the flow below Madhopur headworks comprised water from the Ujh, Tarnah, Basantar and other streams originating in Jammu and Kashmir and joining the Ravi downstream.The resolution said there was no structure to store or divert this water before it crossed the international border and that the terrain did not permit storage infrastructure in the stretch. It called for priority execution of the Ujh Multipurpose Project to divert Ravi waters to the Ranjit Sagar Dam for use within Punjab and urged the Central Water Commission to approve the second Ravi-Beas Link Project to divert water flowing across the border to areas within the state.