Himachal organisations approach PM Modi for rehabilitation of Bhakra Dam oustees

SHIMLA: The issue of rehabilitating those displaced by the Bhakra Dam has now reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, a group of organisations of Himachalis settled in metropolitian cities – The All India Himachal Social Organisations – has requested to include representations of Bhakra Dam oustees in the management of Bhakra Beas Management Board so that their long pending demands could be discussed at highest official platform.
In the memorandum, All India Himachal Social Organisations president D D Dogra has requested the Prime Minister to implement the recommendations of the Petition Committee of the Parliament relating to the rehabilitation and settlement of Bhakra Dam oustees.
He has stated that the Parliament Committee recommended soft loans at concessional rates and employment to at least one family member of oustees families in the government sector; besides proper compensation at market rates to the affected population of 376 villages who could not be properly rehabilitated even after 60 years of completions of the prestigious project.
Dogra said that an average of five acres of land was allocated to the Bhakra Dam oustees in comparison to about 16 acre land allocated to Pong Dam oustees. He said that even this five acre land allocated to the Bhakra Dam oustees have been encroached and illegally taken over by the local land mafia in Hisar, Fatehbad and Sirsa districts of Haryana, where the oustees were planned to be rehabilitated and resettled. Dogra has demanded permanent job to each affected family members along the pattern of jobs offered to affected families of Deen Bandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Plant, Yamunanagar. He has requested the Prime Minister to direct BBMB authorities to provide suitable jobs to Bhakra Dam oustees .
He has also demanded reservations in class three and class four posts in BBMB Nangal for affected families of Bhakra Dam oustees.