Chandigarh, May 7 -- The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Tuesday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that while state police were deployed at the Nangal dam for security, they are not interfering with the operations of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and accused BBMB and Haryana of "stating a bunch of lies". Exchanges between the two sides - Punjab on one and the BBMB, Haryana and the Union government on the other --- prompted the high court chief justice to caution the neighbouring states against treating each other as enemy nations. "We are doing this to our enemy country. Let us not do this within our states," said chief justice Sheel Nagu, who closed the hearing for final orders. A judgment was yet to be issued at the time of going to print. Punjab's stance, submitted through an affidavit filed by the Punjab chief secretary, came after BBMB moved the court and alleged that Punjab police "forcibly took over" the operation and regulation of the Nangal dam and prevented release of water to Haryana. "Punjab took a specific stand that neither the Punjab Police was interfering with BBMB's work nor was it stopping them from doing their work," senior advocate Gurminder Singh, representing Punjab, told reporters after the hearing. "Half facts are being told. BBMB has misled the court. What is being stated before the court is nothing but a bunch of lies," he added. The controversy traces back to April 28 when Haryana demanded 8,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra dam, which was approved by the BBMB. However, Punjab refused to accept the decision and deployed police at the Nangal dam, 13km downstream from Bhakra, to stop the additional water release. BBMB counsel, senior advocate Rajesh Garg, submitted that the "reservoir is going to overflow and the downstream states are going to go dry." He acknowledged that while security of the dam has always been with Punjab police, the force had increased from 15 to 55 personnel after the board decided to release more water to Haryana. Garg also claimed workers from the ruling party were present at the site. Punjab's counsel reacted sharply, asserting that law and order remains a state subject. "BBMB cannot say what police should do. They want illegal resolutions implemented in such a time when border tensions are there," Singh argued. The Centre, represented by additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain, maintained that all states are equal for the Centre and Punjab's actions were not in "good spirit." "The water is not out of share of Punjab. Water comes from Himachal. What happens tomorrow, if they stop?" Jain questioned, seeking directions for Punjab to remove its police from Nangal dam. He underlined that the BBMB resolution has to be challenged legally by Punjab, if it was not acceptable to it. Haryana advocate general Pravindra Singh Chauhan alleged Punjab police had taken control of the dam "under the garb of protecting" it. "This is not their job. The demand of 8,500 cusecs is not just for Haryana but Delhi also. 1,049 cusecs is for Delhi and 850 cusecs is for Rajasthan," Chauhan submitted, adding that such a situation had never arisen before. The dispute has been escalating since last week. On Monday, BBMB moved the high court calling Punjab's police deployment "illegal and unconstitutional" and "direct infringement/interference in statutory functioning of the board." The petition sought a writ of mandamus to compel Punjab to withdraw its police force and vacate the premises. In Monday's hearing, Punjab had claimed it deployed additional security "in view of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam," while arguing that Haryana had already overdrawn its water quota and was "demanding irrigation water under the guise of drinking needs." BBMB, established by the Union power ministry in 1966 under section 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, regulates water distribution from Bhakra, Nangal, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar dams. As per BBMB rules, disputes should have been escalated to the central government. The Union home ministry on Friday last directed BBMB to release 4,500 cusecs of additional water to Haryana for eight days despite Punjab's objections....