Punjab Groundwater Crisis: 133 Stressed Blocks as Farmers Demand BBMB Representation

A state still extracting far beyond recharge

Punjab's groundwater crisis remains severe despite modest improvement in the latest Dynamic Groundwater Resource Assessment. Of the state's 153 assessment blocks, 110 are classified as over-exploited, six as critical, 17 as semi-critical and only 20 as safe, meaning 133 blocks are under stress. The overall stage of groundwater extraction stood at 152.22 per cent in 2025–26, down from 163.80 per cent in 2021–22.

Annual groundwater recharge is assessed at 19.14 billion cubic metres, while extraction reached 26.32 BCM, of which approximately 24.95 BCM was used for irrigation. Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal cited increased canal-water utilisation, now reaching around 80 to 82 per cent compared with roughly 21 per cent in 2022, as a factor behind the decline in tubewell dependence.

Canals, watercourses and lingering dependence

The state government has pointed to activation of 14,100 watercourses, restoration of more than 400 kilometres of defunct canals and concretisation of over 1,000 kilometres of canal infrastructure as measures that are beginning to show results. Four blocks, including Arniwala in Fazilka and Makhu in Ferozepur, moved into the safe category in the latest assessment.

Despite the improvement, agriculture's reliance on tubewells remains the dominant driver of extraction. Officials and farmer groups agree that reducing pump-set dependence is essential, but disagree on whether current canal expansion is sufficient to protect small and marginal farmers who lack access to surface water infrastructure.

BBMB representation as a water-rights demand

At the Chandigarh-Mohali border protest that began on September 1, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha has linked the groundwater crisis to broader questions of Punjab's control over its river waters. The unions demand restoration of the state's representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board and the scrapping of water-sharing agreements they argue violate riparian principles.

The BBMB issue gained renewed salience after the Centre's decision to end Punjab's permanent membership in the board, which the SKM has described as a blow to the state's rights. Farmer leaders have argued that institutions managing Punjab's river waters must include decisive state representation, and have demanded a special session of the Punjab Assembly on water rights.

Court challenge and federal friction

The Punjab government has separately challenged BBMB directions in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arguing that the board exceeded its jurisdiction by ordering release of water beyond agreed shares. The state's advocate general contended that the board's role is limited to administration, maintenance and operation of projects, not determination of inter-state water allocations.

For farmers at the protest site, groundwater depletion and surface-water governance are two faces of the same problem: a farm economy that consumes more water than the state can sustainably recharge, while institutional decisions about river waters are made without what they describe as adequate Punjab representation. The SKM has said it will intensify agitation if the BBMB representation issue is not resolved.