Punjab govt raises concern over BBMB’s extravagant plan to celebrate Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Beas Dam
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 13,2025
The Punjab government has expressed dissatisfaction with the extravagant plan of the BBMB to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Beas Dam. Krishan Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary Water resources Punjab government has written a letter to the chairman of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on March 12,2025 over the Punjab government apprehension about the huge avoidable expenditure proposed by the BBMB to celebrate Golden Jubilee (50 years) celebrations of Beas Dam (Pong Dam), Talwara.
The Principal Secretary Water resources Punjab government has pointed out that “a total expenditure for celebration of Golden Jubilee ceremony decorative lightning arrangements, hoardings and logos at Beas Dam, BBMB, Talwara is likely to exceed more than Rs 5 crore. Even the employees of BBMB are proposed to be paid a salary of two months which is not acceptable to the state of Punjab and is purely an avoidable expenditure and will be burden on the partner states.”
He further added requested the Chairman BBMB to re-consider the issue and avoid such huge wasteful expenditure. The proposal may also be brought for the consideration of the board in the next board meeting.
The copy of the letter is also forwarded to the partner states Rajasthan and Haryana’s water resources additional chief secretaries.
As per sources, “Beas Dam or Pong Dam was dedicated to the nation on June 30,1974. The Golden Jubilee year was 2024. But due to parliamentary elections, rainy seasons delayed the celebrations. So, the board has decided to celebrate the Golden Jubilee Year and now a big function is planned probably in the month of March 2025.”
When contacted the chief engineer Beas Dam / Pong Dam Arun Sidana he said “the golden jubilee celebrations are already going on. We are planning a big event to mark the occasion. The Chairman, BBMB is managing the event and he will provide you the details”. He further added that “we will invite the dignitaries like union power minister, union jal shakti minister, chief ministers of partner states for the golden jubilee celebrations of Beas Dam. The chairman will give the invitees information also”
Punjab govt raises concern over BBMB’s extravagant plan to celebrate Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Beas Dam. Meanwhile Chairman BBMB, Manoj Tripathi couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts.
The Pong Dam, also known as the Beas Dam which is 2 KM earth-fill embankment dam with highest volume used for construction of earthen dam category in India, situated on the Beas River in the state of Himachal Pradesh, just upstream of Talwara in Punjab. The purpose of the dam is water storage for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. As the second phase of the Beas Project, construction on the dam began in 1961 and was completed in 1974. At the time of its completion, the Pong Dam was the tallest of its type in India. The lake created by the dam, Maharana Pratap Sagar, became a renowned bird sanctuary.
