Is bureaucrat, engineer silence cost heavy for Punjab loosing representation in BBMB?
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
The Government of India has issue a notification on February 23, 2022, changed norms for selecting the full-time chairman and two members of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
This sudden development has raises question over the working, efficiency, interest of Member Power Er Harminder Singh Chugh and Saravjit Singh a senior Punjab cadre IAS officer presently working as Principle Secretary to Government of Punjab, Cadre (AIS), Water Resources, representing Punjab in the BBMB Board. Saravjit Singh is also graduate in Electronics and Communication (B.Tech).Both these officers are part of the BBMB full Board.
The board consists of one full-time chairman and two full-time members besides a six ex officio members. Present BBMB board comprises of chairman, member power (Punjab cadre) and member irrigation (Haryana cadre) , two representatives from government of India, principal secretary irrigation Punjab, ACS irrigation, Haryana, secretary water resources Rajasthan, ACS Himachal Pradesh government.
“Now, the question arises in the minds of residents of Punjab, why these two officers, part of the full board of BBMB didn’t inform the state government over this major development, that have shocked the entire state? This is not an overnight action, decision of the union government. It’s a major development and a total failure of the persons sitting on the top posts in the board. Now, they must be penalized for their incompetency. It seems that they overlooked the state interest over their own interests. And, if they had informed the state govt about this development than the government must come clean on it” said a retired power engineer.
As per a senior functionary ,the authorities has promised the extend the term of member power for six months, to extend it further as his term is going to expire in march this year.
Another senior official of the powercom said “it seems that the BJP ruled centre government is planning to give benefits to saffron party ruled Himachal Pradesh. The elections are due in late 2022. Like, earlier the union government ignored the rules and made BBMB partner state Himachal Pradesh officer as its chairman. Devendra Kumar Sharma, managing director of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited was made its chairman in 2017 for three years. During his tenure he recruited number of Himachal residents in BBMB, overlooking the claim, priority of Punjab, Haryana residents. He even gave sanction to disputed projects, which benefitted Himachal Pradesh. Also the amended qualifications for members are made in such a way, favouring hydro organizations, which will once again benefit Himachal Pradesh.”
The Centre has brought in certain changes in the selection criteria of the chairman and members, even as the Beas Management Board Rules, 1974, which govern the BBMB, clearly provides that the state be represented by its member.
Under the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966, the share from BBMB was divided between Punjab and Haryana in the ration of 58:42, with some share to Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh subsequently added. Primarily, Punjab and Haryana are the two major beneficiaries, and Punjab has the larger share.
Is bureaucrat, engineer silence cost heavy for Punjab loosing representation in BBMB?.Now, all the parties, leaders even power engineers are up ante against the centre government decision and demand revoking of this notification.
A powercom engineer said “all the political parties of Punjab should oppose this decision in one voice so that the Union government would be forced to withdraw it.”
February 26,2022
