Flooded with apprehensions of Bhakra Dam’s safety, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has come out with a series of measures to protect the engineering marvel, including installing bollards, advanced surveillance systems, among other things.Maintaining that the “threat perception” persists for the dams situated near border areas, the BBMB authorities on Friday said that they are beefing up the security with advanced systems to be prepared for any danger in future.
“Threat perception is still there, but we cannot discuss it as it is between the Intelligence Bureau and the security officials…Dams situated near the borders are always under threat as these can be targeted with a view to cause damage,” said BBMB chairman AB Agarwal.
Among several initiatives to fortify the dam’s security, the BBMB will soon install bollards — a short post designed to protect sensitive areas providing effective security — at strategic locations, including entry points, around the Bhakra Dam. Besides, the close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras would also be installed at strategic points.
“We have already submitted our proposal regarding the bollards and we are waiting sanction of funds for that. We have also invited tender for the CCTVs and in the next two-three months, we would be able to install that,” BBMB director (Security) Gursharan S Wason told The Pioneer.
Wason said that apart from that, “hand held metal detectors (HHMDs) and the door fixed metal detectors (DFMDs) would also be made available along with the under vehicle surveillance system (UVSS)”.
Earlier, the people used to have “free access” to the Bhakra dam using it as a thoroughfare on daily basis, but the entrance was “closed” by the BBMB authorities almost four years back in the wake of security concerns.
Couple of years ago, the intelligence agencies had intercepted a terror threat from the Pakistan-based terror groups lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamat-ud-Dawa. Intelligence Bureau reports had maintained that these terror outfits were specifically training their cadres in cliff-climbing, swimming across water channels and handling explosives with the intention to attack the dam.
It was indicated that they were planning a strike at 225-metre high Bhakra Dam during the monsoon when water level in the dam remains at its peak, so as to cause maximum damage.“We are continuously upgrading our security system and taking special care of dam’s security. We have increased the security force up to 600 personnel, out of which 278 are manning Bhakra dam,” said Wason.
Bhakra Dam, that has celebrated its golden jubilee in 2013, has been, is the prime source of water supply to the States of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and also Chandigarh for irrigation and drinking purposes apart from power.
Referred as ‘temple of modern India’ by country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the Bhakra Dam’s security was the responsibility of the both Punjab and Himachal Pradesh Governments in respect to the area fall under both States. BBMB’s proposal to have the central force — Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) — for dam’s security could not be materialised following the “partner States refused to pay additional charges for thesecurity…they have deployed their manpower”.