Chandigarh, May 9 -- When the Punjab government moved a resolution in the state assembly on Monday for the immediate repeal of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, the demand not only came more than three years after the legislation was enacted, but it also marked a shift in the state's position.

While several farmer unions in Punjab opposed the Act from the outset, arguing that it infringed upon the state's rights over water resources, the state government complied with and implemented the measures mandated by the legislation, despite having some reservations.

The state, however, has now hardened its stance to seek repeal of the Act after a row erupted with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which regulates water distribution from Bhakra, N...