Water resources dept, BBMB cause revenue loss to Punjab; key officers, department defy CM’s orders
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 10,2026
The Punjab Water Resources Department and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) are contributing to financial losses for the state government. Punjab has promoted officers to the post of Chief Engineer in excess of the sanctioned strength, while BBMB has deputed officers beyond its approved strength and are paying higher salaries for lower-level posts causing financial loss to the board as well as Punjab government.
Punjab water resources department has appointed nine chief engineers against the sanctioned posts of eight. In addition to this two chief engineers were sent on deputation to Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) against the sanctioned strength of one post.
As per available information earlier water resources department had around 14 chief engineers and after taking the reins of Punjab government, the CM Bhagwant Mann has okayed the restructuring of the department.
After the restructuring the chief engineer posts brought down to eight and many department, wings were merged to save the government exchequer. Out of these 8, 6 were posted in the state water resources department, one post is kept for Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and one for MD, Punjab Water Resources Management and Development Corporation (earlier known as Tubewell Corporation).
But ,water resources department has now 9 posts of chief engineers. The department has last promoted superintending engineer (SE) Sukhjit Singh Bhullar and Vijay Kumar Garg.
Presently, Manoj Kumar Bansal, SE ranked officer is looking after the charge of MD, Punjab Water Resources Management and Development Corporation (earlier known as Tubewell Corporation).Promotion of Manoj Bansal is also against the rules and the violating the merit as Rahul Inder Singh Sodhi, SE whose master degree in design was ignored and giving unfavourite to Manoj Kumar Bansal, who is acting as a MD Corporation
Bhullar was promoted on the condition that if the BBMB were to revoke its order upgrading the post of Deputy Chief Vigilance Officer (Dy CVO) from the level of Chief Engineer, he would also be reverted to his previous posting. Saurav, who was holding the post of Superintending Engineer (SE) at BBMB and was working as Dy CVO, was promoted by Punjab government to chief engineer and subsequently sent again on deputation to BBMB by water resources department instead to posting him in his home department-water resources.
“Now two chief engineers from water resources department –Charanpreet Singh and Saurav are working at Bhakra Beas Management Board against the sanctioned strength of one chief engineer from Punjab quota” said an officer on the condition of anonymity. He further added that ” BBMB has temporary upgraded the posts of Dy CVO and Secretary, BBMB. As per rules the post is upgraded only if a person is going to retire in around 1-2 years not for longer period of service”.
Moreover, Saurav is working as Deputy Chief Vigilance Officer (Dy CVO). Means, he is now working on SE level post, drawing the salary of chief engineer or working at a lower post at BBMB, while drawing a higher salary from the government. This has clearly placed an additional financial burden on the state government and the BBMB treasury. Charanpreet Singh is working as Chief Engineer, Bhakra Dam at Nangal.
Similarly, Rajasthan has posted its two chief engineers at BBMB against the quota of one post. One is serving as chief engineer and other as secretary, BBMB. He is also working on lower post but receiving higher pay.
BBMB has adopted the scale of erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) (now PSPCL/PSTCL) for its employees. The scales of PSEB were higher than Punjab government scales means the employee working with BBMB gets higher pay than the state government.
BBMB raise the salary bill and the get the same from partner states.
BBMB has three posts of chief engineers at Sunder Nagar (for Haryana), Nangal (for Punjab) and Talwara/ Pong (for Rajasthan).
Haryana quota lone chief engineer is looking after the charge of Member Irrigation.
Meanwhile Punjab water resources department principal secretary Krishan Kumar, IAS and BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
NINE CHIEF ENGINEERS WORKING WITH WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
Jatinder Pal Singh- CE, Headquarter
Harinder Singh Bedi-CE (on Leave)
Sher Singh- CE, Canals
Hardip Singh Mehndiratta- CE Drainage-cum- Mining
Varinder Kumar-CE, Vigilance
Sukhjit Singh Bhullar- CE, design
Vijay Kumar Garg- CE, Dams Admn
CHIEF ENGINEERS WITH BBMB
Charanpreet Singh-CE, Bhakta Dam, Nangal
Saurav-Dy. CVO, BBMB, Chandigarh
