Farmer in Balh valley worried over silting project

Mandi, July 6 (UNI) The Balh Valley Farmers Action Committee has expressed concern over the resumption of casting out silt into the fertile Balh Valley through a new dredger imported from Holland.

A member of the action committee, Kishan Chand has alleged that the Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities were not interested in the construction of a tunnel for throwing out the silt either in Beas or Sutlej rivers.

A local resident, Dugu, also asserted that the fertile valley of Balh was turning into a veritable desert over the past over 30 years as spilling of huge quantity of silt from open hydel channel and eas-Sutlej Link reservoir in Suketi, a tributary of Beas, was causing havoc in the valley, the granary of Mandi district.

Another member of the action committee Mira Devi alleged that the BBMB authorities were no more interested in implementing the recommendations of the National Engineering and Research Institute Nagpur, which had suggested the construction of a tunnel as a permanent solution of the menace of silting.

The gigantic Beas-Sutlej Link Project executed 30 years ago linking the two mighty rivers of the Himalayas and ushering in an era of prosperity in the beneficiary states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan has ironically left a trail of misery on the land where it was executed.

Another member, Mahender Kumar, rued that grandeur of Mandi town had diminished after the diversion of the entire water of Beas into Sutlej in July, 1977.

This stole the scenic grandeur of the towns and villages located on the banks of Beas down stream, he said adding that despite this, the people of this district were happy that one of Asia's five big projects with the largest water-conductor system in the world was being constructed here.

However, now, they were having second thoughts as the valley and its inhabitants were suffering due to the projects with the authorities turning a blind eye.

However, when contacted Mr. R R Dudeja, Chief Engineer, BSL Project, said the work of de-silting had been resumed in rainy season in accordance with the recommendations of a committee of experts appointed by the High Court, without violating any law.

Meanwhile, Kishan Chand said even as getting evacuated from their lands and homes for the construction of the BSL Project people of the district had hoped that the project when completed would also herald prosperity here. But their hopes were dashed to the ground.

He said BSL Project had diverted 4716 million cubic meters of Beas waters into Sutlej through 38-km long water conductor system comprising two tunnels and an open hydle channel.

The Pandoh-Baggi tunnel terminates in Sundernagar reservoir from where the water gets into Sundernagar-Slappar tunnel. The fall of the water into Sutlej has been utilised for generating 990-MW hydle power in the Dehar Power Plant which is generating 1.5 crore units of power daily catering to > the need of the entire region. The daily income is in crores.

According to Kishan Chand, the residents of Khiuri have their own tales of woe to tell. It is here that 13.10 km Pandoh Baggi tunnel falls into the open hydel channel with a force. People live in panic in their houses which keep on shaking due to the tremors caused by the strong currents of the water which strikes against 10-foot high RCC wall at the opening of the tunnel.

Cracks in the houses of the people located over 100 meters away from the opening of the tunnel were visible and doors and windowpanes keep on rattling.

The BSL authorities had repaired some cracks, but they insist that the vibration of gushing water has not caused these, he added.

UNI