Both posts of whole time members in BBMB are vacant in violation of statute -AIPEF
Bahahadurjeet Singh, Rupnagar
Both the posts of whole-time members (WTM) in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) are lying vacant in violation of section 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966.
Padamjit Singh Chief Patron All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) in a letter to R K Singh Union Power Minister on November 10, once again demanded to scrap the new criteria for selection of members in and select the Member/Power and Member/Irrigation immediately, from Punjab and Haryana as per previous practice.
The BBMB was constituted under Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 specifies that the BBMB management board shall consist of a whole -time Chairman and two whole-time members to be appointed by the Central Government.
Punjab and Haryana are the biggest stakeholders of BBMB with maximum share in irrigation and power benefits.As per long-standing convention for the last 55 years,Member (Power) was always drawn from Punjab,while Member(Irrigation) from Haryana and Chairman appointed from outside of partner states.
Under section 97 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966, the centre issued the notification on the 23rd. February about a change in the rules for the appointment of full-time members of the BBMB.After the notification was tabled in Parliament and a number of MPs from Punjab and Haryana filed objections and demanded the scrapping of the new rule.
V K Gupta spokesperson for AIPEF said that the post of member irrigation BBMB is vacant for the last more than two years since September 9, 2020,after member irrigation from Haryana Irrigation was reverted back to its parent cadre. The post of Member (Power) is
vacant since September 26 this year and Chairman BBMB is holding the charge of both full-time members.
Both posts of whole time members in BBMB are vacant in violation of statute -AIPEF . Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana have been requested to look into the matter.
November 15, 2022
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