BBMB halts move to ready houses for CISF personnel

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has put on hold the repair and maintenance of houses earmarked for allotment to CISF personnel at its Nangal township. The move comes after the state Assembly on Friday passed a resolution against the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the BBMB projects.

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Last month, the board, in a letter issued to its officials at Nangal, had earmarked houses in CC, HH, H, GG and DD blocks of the township for allotment to CISF personnel. The board employees already residing there were asked to vacate those houses. They were promised accommodation in other parts of the township.

Orders were issued to the officials concerned to get those houses vacated and issue tenders for their repair and maintenance. Family accommodation was to be provided to 142 personnel in the township, including one commandant, two assistant commandants, three inspectors, eight sub-inspectors, 20 assistant sub-inspectors, 35 head constables and 73 constables. The remaining CISF personnel were to be accommodated at Talwara township. However, the move has now been put on hold.

Meanwhile, partner states Haryana and Rajasthan continue to support the move to deploy CISF personnel at various BBMB projects. The board was yet to take a final decision on the issue, sources said. The maintenance work of houses earmarked for CISF personnel had been put on hold fearing budget misuse objections by Punjab.

The Punjab Government, having 52 per cent share in the BBMB, contributes budget accordingly. However, it has decided not to contribute budget for the CISF deployment. The Union Home Ministry had asked the BBMB to pay Rs 7.5 crore as charges for deploying 296 CISF personnel.

In 2021, the Punjab Government had given assent for the CISF deployment. However, in May this year, there was a row over water sharing with Haryana. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led a dharna of his party workers at the Nangal Dam till May 20. The BBMB authorities were not allowed to release extra water to Haryana from the Punjab share. While the controversy was going on, the Union Home Ministry okayed the CISF deployment and asked the BBMB to deposit Rs 7.5 crore as charges.