Overview

• The Punjab and Haryana High Court has given Punjab until May 22 to file a rejoinder opposing the release of additional water to Haryana as per the court's May 6 directive.
• The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) initiated a new water-sharing cycle on May 21, allocating 10,300 cusecs to Haryana, 17,000 cusecs to Punjab, and 12,400 cusecs to Rajasthan.
• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the BBMB's decisions and reiterated plans to raise the issue of its reconstitution at the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting.
• The Centre deployed 296 CISF personnel to secure the Bhakra-Nangal Dam following Punjab's earlier police blockade and protests against surplus water releases.
• AAP workers ended their month-long protest at the dam after water was released under the new cycle, with Mann urging Haryana to use its share judiciously.