AMRITSAR/JALANDHAR: Farmer bodies have joined hands to oppose amendments in the eligibility criteria for appointment to posts of two whole-time members of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), with Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait arguing that through this move, the Union government has snatched away rights of the states over water.
On the other hand, former MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra said on Thursday that the Central government “aims to abolish” the federal system of the country and replace it with a unitary system of governance. “The Centre is usurping the rights of states and Punjab seems to have become the number one target.
Earlier the jurisdiction of BSF was increased and now the Centre has abolished the permanent membership of Punjab in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB),” said the Akali leader.
Speaking during a farmers meet, Dr Navpreet Singh Hanspal, son of Partap Singh Hanspal, a former superintendent engineer of Punjab who had played a key role in the construction of Bhakra Nangal Dam, censured the Central government’s decision to amend the rules with regards to the appointment of two key positions on the BBMB.
“I feel proud to be the son of a person was one among key figures involved in the construction of Bhakra Dam and the Centre should have continued with the existing rules” opined Navpreet. Late Partap Singh was a freedom fighter who had participated in the Quit India Movement and had studied engineering from Banaras Hindu University.
State president of Jamhuri Kisan Sabha, Satnam Singh Ajnala, said amendment in BBMB member ap- pointment rules could pave way for escalation in electricity and irrigation tariff and privatization of BBMB which would only create unrest in the society.
In addition, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has also urged all the states and organizations to study the Dam Safety Act 2021.
“Through this Bill, the Centre has snatched all rights to change the direction of the dams. Centre government has silently snatched away all the rights of the states over water and BBMB issue is being fuelled to deflect attention of the states from Dam Safety Act. (My) appeal is to all the organizations and states to study this bill,” he tweeted on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Twitter handle @Tractor2twitr , which had played a crucial role on social media during the farm movement in support of the farm protests, has also started posting highlights of the Act . It has also started posting questions for Punjab MPs that what they were doing when this Act was passed in Parliament.
