Hoshiarpur, May 1 -- Amid the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana, Punjab Education Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday led a protest at the Nangal Dam, saying that the state is taking firm steps to safeguard its water resources -- the lifeline of its agrarian economy.

Speaking from the protest site, Bains emphasised the critical condition of Punjab's groundwater, stating that over 90 per cent of the state's blocks have already fallen into the "dark zone" due to over-extraction.

"We are all present at Nangal dam, and the aim is to save Punjab's water, as it is a lifeline to the state. Punjab is an agrarian state; it is based on agriculture, and if our waters are snatched from us ...