Amid govt-BBMB tussle, officials inspect arrangements for CISF deployment at dam

According to a senior BBMB official, the Central Industrial Security Force will be deployed at the Bhakra and Nangal dams from September 1 if all goes according to the plan

Amid tussle between the Punjab government and the Bhakra Beas Management Board over deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to guard Bhakra-Nangal dam, a team of the CISF and the BBMB on Monday visited Nangal to oversee arrangements for deployment of CISF personnel as per the plan.

The central government’s move to deploy CISF at Bhakra and Nangal dams is being opposed by the Punjab government. (HT file)

If all goes according to the plan, the CISF will be deployed at the dam from September 1, a senior BBMB official confirmed. The CISF team that visited the dam was led by commandant Lalit Tomar, accompanied by BBMB deputy director (security) Ombir Singh.

“As there is a plan to deploy the CISF from September 1, the main objective of the visit was to oversee the arrangements for the stay of the CISF jawans which are being arranged in the colonies of the BBMB in Nangal,” a BBMB official said.

Notably, deployment of CISF at the dams are being done following enactment of a new law 1 Dam Safety Act — by the central government. The move has been opposed by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government.

Information gathered from various sources in the BBMB revealed that in case of Bhakra, the CISF would be deployed at core dam area whereas entries from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on the dam site would be guarded by the respective police forces of the states as being done at present. Deployment of 296 CISF personnel is being done at Bhakra and Nangal dams.

At present, Punjab Police is guarding the core areas of the Bhakra-Nangal dam whereas the outer security lies with the respective forces of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.