Despite stiff opposition from Punjab, BBMB prepares to house CISF personnel

Even as the Punjab government and CM Bhagwant Mann has vehemently opposed the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Bhakra project, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has started making preparations for housing the CISF personnel in its Nangal township.

The BBMB management in a letter issued to its officials at Nangal has earmarked houses to be given for accommodation of CISF personnel in its Nangal township. The houses have been earmarked in CC, HH, H, GG and DD blocks of Nangal. The employees of BBMB who are residing in the said blocks have been asked to vacate the earmarked houses. The employees have been asked that they would be allotted accommodation in other parts of Nangal township.

The BBMB management in Nangal has been asked to get the houses in said blocks vacated and issue tenders for repair and maintenance of houses to be issued for the CISF personnel.

The BBMB officials have been asked to provide family accommodation for 142 personnel in Nangal township, including one commandant, two assistant commandants, three inspectors, 8 sub inspectors, 20 assistant sub inspectors, 35 head constables and 73 constables. The remaining CISF personnel would be deployed in Talwara township of BBMB, the sources said.

The employees of BBMB who are residing in houses earmarked for CISF have written to the management against the vacation orders. The employees have said that they have modified the houses in which they were living by spending money for their own pockets. The BBMB management should house the CISF personal in vacant houses rather that asking the employees to vacate houses, the employees have written to the BBMB management.

As per the full board decision of BBMB taken in 2021, in which the Punjab government had also given its assent, the Union Home Ministry has decided to deploy 296 CISF personnel for security of the Bhakra project. The Union Home Ministry has asked the BBMB to deposit about Rs 8 crore as charges for deployment of CISF in the organisation.

Despite the assent given by the state in 2021, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had said that the state would oppose the deployment of CISF personnel in Bhakra project.

Presently, the security of Bhakra dam and other installations of BBMB was with Himachal and Punjab police. More than 200 personnel of Himachal police were deployed for security of BBMB dams that were located in territorial jurisdiction of Himachal Pradesh. Punjab has about 15 police personnel posted in BBMB that guard the Nangal dam and township areas that are located in territorial jurisdiction of Punjab.

The local organisations have also opposed the deployment of CISF in Bhakra dam project. The resident associations and local farmer organisations have opposed the deployment of CISF personnel in Bhakra project. They have alleged that things might become difficult for them in case CISF was deployed. The locals were comfortable with local police but fear that the central force might make their movements in dam areas difficult.

Punjab