Protest by BBMB staff, seek regularisation

Employees of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) held a protest outside the Chief Engineer’s office at Bhakra Dam, Nangal, under the banner of the INTUC Joint Front, to press for their long-pending service and welfare demands.

A large number of regular, contractual, daily-wage, PESCO, part-time and retired employees participated in the gate meeting, voicing their anger over the administration’s “inaction” and urged to immediately redress their grievances.

The protesters said essential work at the dam and associated projects was being hampered due to acute manpower shortage, worsened by the abolition of posts under restructuring. They demanded that no post should be scrapped and that vacant positions should be filled through regular recruitment.

The employees also sought the regularisation of temporary posts and extension of all due benefits to those promoted on an ad hoc basis. They further demanded that contract workers, daily wagers, PESCO and part-time staff should be regularised and given equal service benefits.

Poor maintenance of residential quarters was another major issue raised. The workers demanded regular repair, painting and whitewashing of all quarters, not just those occupied by CISF personnel. They also called for urgent repair of houses damaged by the installation of solar systems or leakages and asked that such defective quarters should not be allotted in future.

The protesters highlighted delay in the payment of overtime, retirement dues and other benefits, urging the administration to streamline disbursements. They also opposed employee transfers made under external pressure and demanded fairness and transparency in postings.

Union leaders warned that if their demands were ignored, their agitation would be intensified. They said the BBMB workforce had always ensured the smooth operation of the vital power and irrigation systems and deserved fair treatment and timely fulfilment of its demands.