BBMB staff protest CISF deployment at Bhakra Dam

The All BBMB Employees Coordination Committee held rallies and gate meetings against the board management in front of the offices of the PRO and Chief Engineer at Nangal on Wednesday.

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They opposed the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the organisation. BBMB employee union leader Gurnam Singh Aulakh said the CISF deployment would deepen the dispute between the partner states. It would also increase the financial burden on the organisation.

When the present security setup, comprising Punjab and Himachal cops, has been doing well for over 60 years, what was the need of deploying the CISF, he said.

Various speakers condemned the BBMB Chairman’s approach of shelving the demands of employees and pensioners on the pretext of water dispute between Punjab and Haryana. They demanded immediate withdrawal of the circular dated May 20, 2025, regarding arrear payments and issuance of directions for one-time payment of salary arrears, pension and leave encashment to the staff.

They also demanded timely release of incentives, disbursement of bonus in view of the Pong Dam’s golden jubilee, besides regularisation of contractual, outsourced and daily-wage employees and allotment of official quarters to such employees.

The protesters welcomed CM Mann’s statement regarding filling of 3,000 vacant posts under the Punjab quota in the board. They said if their demands were not met by June 25, 2025, the agitation would be intensified.

The protests were led by Bhakra Beas Employees Union (AITUC) president Ashok Kumar, BBMB Field Employees Union president (CITU) Jarnail Singh, Vijay Rana and Pran Nath (CITU) and Mangat Ram (BBMB Workers Union).