Chandigarh, August 26, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Bholath MLA and President of Punjab Ekta Party(PEP) today alleged that Bhakra Beas Management Board(BBMB) had played mischief to cause floods in Punjab, otherwise a rain deficient state.
In a hard hitting statement issued here Khaira said that BBMB was fully responsible for the havoc caused by floods in Punjab. He said that BBMB had conspired to divert water from Beas river to Bhakra Dam despite the fact that Pong Dam had large capacity to store rain water. In the first place the BBMB allowed water level in Bhakra Dam to swallow and reach the peak level of 1680 feet.
Subsequently the water from Dehar and Pandoh power houses was diverted to Bhakra Dam through Beas-Satluj Link (BSL) to release in Satluj River.
Khaira didn’t rule out a political conspiracy behind ‘unnatural flooding’ of Punjab and said that floods were used a weapon to cripple the people of Punjab economically and incapacitate them from raising voice for people of Kashmir and uprising of Ravidasia community against the center for demolishing their historical temple in Delhi.
Khaira said that it was matter of serious concern that BBMB had released 9000 cusecs water from Beas river to Satluj river in two days on August 17 and 18. He said that water from Bhakra Dam was released continuously from August 17 to 21 after diversion from Beas river.
The water level in Bhakra Dam on August 17 was at highest 1680 feet, the level in Pong Dam was 1363 on same day, 27 feet below the danger mark. Even on August 21, the water level at Pong Dam was 1378 against its capacity of 1390 feet.
Khaira said that even after water was released into river Satluj, the canals in Punjab were running dry. The Bathinda Branch and Sirhind Branch of Bhakra Main Line were running empty or at low capacity from August 17 to 21 He asked Punjab Chief Minister to clarify the matter why the over flowing water was not released into canals to reduce the impact of the flood water.
He said that senior officials of Punjab Irrigation department have raised accusing finger on decisions taken by BBMB Chairman D.K.Sharma who hails from Himachal Pradesh. He said that Gulabh Singh Narwal, Member Irrigation BBMB, as reported in media, has said that all decisions were taken by the BBMB Chairman.
Narwal has also said that they (BBMB) were not expecting heavy rainfall. Khaira added that circumstantial evidence has raised doubts about the intentions of BBMB Chairman.
