Centre to deploy CISF at Bhakra project amid Punjab-Haryana tussle

Amid the ongoing dispute between Punjab and Haryana over the allocation of water, the Centre has approved the deployment of a central force for the security of the Bhakra Dam Project. A total of 296 posts of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have been created for induction into the security wing of the project.

A letter to this effect has been sent to the Director (Security and Consultancy) of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

Punjab Cabinet meet on Friday

The Punjab Government has also conveyed a meeting of the state Cabinet on Friday. Sources said the issue of dam security would be discussed. Separately, a meeting of the technical committee of the BBMB has also been scheduled for Friday.

The Board has been told to make a security deposit of Rs 8,58,69,600 in favour of the CISF for these 296 personnel. The CISF has also directed the BBMB to complete all pre-induction formalities, including arranging accommodation, transport, communication equipment and security gadgets, for the personnel. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the move appeared to be a conspiracy to rob Punjab of its river waters. “The Centre has ordered the deployment of the CISF at the dam ignoring the fact that Punjab bears 60 per cent of the cost of operations of the BBMB, including security. Is this move meant to protect the dams or rob Punjab of its rights?” he questioned.

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Currently, the Punjab Police handle the security of the Nangal Dam, while the Himachal Police manage the security of the Bhakra Dam. Although the demand for deploying a central security force is not new, its implementation had been delayed. Punjab Government officials have told The Tribune that the process had allegedly been expedited due to the ongoing dispute. A senior official stated, “As we understand, the core security of the dam will be with the CISF, while Punjab Police could form the outer layer of security.”

According to available information, Punjab has deployed 146 police personnel at the powerhouses and water channels of the Bhakra Dam Project, exceeding the sanctioned strength of 83. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh has deployed 347 personnel against the sanctioned strength of 288 at the dam sites within its territory.

Talking to The Tribune, an official of the BBMB downplayed the development, stating that the demand for CISF deployment was longstanding. Initially, over 400 central security personnel were sought for the dam’s security. The official noted that central forces were previously deployed during the peak of terrorism as well.

The decision to deploy the CISF may have been taken after recent events. These included an increase in the presence of the Punjab Police near the dam amid the water dispute with Haryana and heckling of BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi by protesters when he had gone to oversee the release of additional water to Haryana.

This development coincides with the state’s AAP government celebrating its success in Nangal for restricting additional water release to Haryana. The latter had exhausted its allocated share for the depletion period (September 21, 2024, to May 20, 2025) and demanded an additional 8,500 cusecs. However, Punjab released only 4,000 cusecs from April 6 onward, refusing further increases.

The dam's filling period began on Wednesday, and Haryana had requested 10,300 cusecs during the recent BBMB Technical Committee meeting. The Bhakra Main Line canal, which supplies water to Haryana, has a total water carrying capacity of 11,700 cusecs. Punjab will use 3,000 cusecs for its own needs, as agreed by the BBMB. Since the filling period started, 9,200 cusecs was already flowing through the canal, with an incremental increase of 100 cusecs per hour from 1 pm today till the water carrying capacity is reached.