Fact about Union secretary's May 2 meeting was 'concealed' from court argues Punjab

Chandigarh, May 22 (PTI) The Punjab government on Thursday submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the Union Home Secretary's May 2 meeting was called on the issue of law and order and not on water sharing matter and this "fact was concealed" from the court.
    A division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel was hearing arguments on Punjab government's plea seeking a review or modification of its May 6 order pertaining to Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan's May 2 decision to release 4,500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana.
    The high court on May 6 had directed Punjab to abide by the decision of the May 2 meeting held under the chairmanship of Mohan.
    Speaking to reporters after the hearing, senior advocate Gurminder Singh, who represents Punjab, said the May 2 meeting was held in connection with law and order and this "fact was concealed" from the court.
    He said the high court had taken reference of this meeting in its May 6 order.
    The Punjab government contended that the May 2 meeting was not convened with the agenda of releasing additional water to Haryana.
    In its petition, Punjab had earlier objected that the union home secretary was not the appropriate authority to take a call on releasing water.
    Singh said Punjab had submitted before the court that the law and order issue was the prerogative of the Punjab government under the Constitution and under law and order situation, it could deploy police.
    "We were not interfering in the day-to-day functioning of the Bhakra Beas Management Board," said Singh.
    In its May 6 order, the high court had restrained Punjab and its departments including police personnel from "interfering" in the day-to-day functioning, operation and regulation of the Bhakra-Nangal Dam.
    Singh said the Centre had informed the court that said on May 2, it took a decision to release 4,500 cusecs of water and on this basis, water be released to Haryana and after which the court had asked Punjab to comply with the May 2 decision.
    Singh said Punjab submitted that in the April 28 meeting held by BBMB over the water sharing issue, no decision could be made.
    Thereafter, Haryana gave a representation to the BBMB chairman that the matter be referred to the Centre as per the Rule 7 of the BBMB Rules, 1974.
    The matter was then referred to the Centre on April 29, he said.
    Punjab also submitted that the court was also not informed that the dispute related to the water sharing issue was referred to the union government.
    Singh accused the Centre, Haryana and BBMB of misrepresenting the facts before the high court.
    He said that the arguments in the matter will continue in the high court on Friday.
    On May 20, the state of Haryana, Haryana, BBMB and the Centre had filed their replies to Punjab's plea which sought a review or modification of the high court's May 6 order.
    Haryana had earlier submitted that the application filed by Punjab is "complete abuse of the process of the court with an ulterior motive to wriggle out from the proceedings of contempt".
    Punjab and Haryana have been at loggerheads over the distribution of water with the AAP government refusing to share water from Bhakra dam, saying the neighbouring state has already utilized its share of water.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)