Himachal will release water only if BBMB arrears are cleared: CM Sukhu

Shimla, May 28 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday said the state would give water to Delhi and Haryana if they give Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) arrears pending for 14 years to the state.

Speaking at a public gathering at Dehuri in the Banjar development block of Kullu district, he said: “I went to Delhi with the demands of the people of Himachal Pradesh. We will give water to Delhi and Haryana, but first, they should give the BBMB arrears pending for 14 years to Himachal Pradesh.

“I have clearly said first that the neighbouring states should file an affidavit in the Supreme Court to pay the arrears, then we will move forward on the Kishau dam. I consider the state as my family, so I will not compromise with the interests of Himachal Pradesh.”

During his two-day visit, the Chief Minister announced to opening of Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School, affiliated with the CBSE and a milk processing unit with a capacity of 10,000 litres in Banjar.

He said the government was bringing about extensive reforms in the field of education, and these efforts would continue in future as well.

Slamming former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, he said the BJP leader distributed electoral freebies of Rs 5,000 crore to win the assembly elections.

“He opened new institutions but cheated the people of the state by not providing staff and proper facilities. He’s responsible for the decline in the level of education.”

The Chief Minister said: “We are not opening new educational institutions, but appointing teachers in schools and providing facilities so that children in rural areas can get a better education environment. As a step to bring reforms, we created the Directorate of School Education from class 1 to XII, started English medium classes and will make extensive reforms in the field of education in the coming time.”

The Chief Minister said those who had already been accused of corruption were making false allegations against the present state government to mislead the people of the state.

“Today, they have become the policymakers of the BJP, but first, they should look into their own affairs.”

During the natural calamity in 2023, the BJP leaders did not go to the Central government even once to plead for the rights of the affected families, while the Congress government stood with the people.

“We changed the rules to rehabilitate the affected families and gave a special relief package and increased the compensation for the house being completely damaged from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 7 lakh, while the compensation for the partially damaged house was increased to one lakh,” the Chief Minister added.

--IANS

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