Register FIR Against Officials for Death of 650+ Animals at Perch Dam

Reservoir turned into death trap for animals with the silt accumulation, now as deep as 15 meters or 50 feet, with cracks four to five feet deep: Joshi*

CHANDIGARH, June 20 : Senior BJP leader and State Media Head BJP Punjab Vineet Joshi has called for the registration of an FIR against the officials of the Department of Irrigation, Wildlife Preservation, Forest, and Mining of the Punjab Government, holding them accountable for the death of over 650 animals at the dried-up Perch Dam in Village Perch of district Mohali. Joshi, who visited the parched dam for the second consecutive day on Thursday, was accompanied by villagers as well as media persons.

Accompanied by villagers from Baddi Perch, Chotti Perch, Nadda, and Seonk, Joshi guided the media on a tour of the area, revealing numerous skeletons believed to be those of deer, sambar deer, and other wildlife, thus highlighting the severity of the situation.

In the dried-up dam, Joshi addressed the media, stating that the World Bank funded the construction of Perch Dam in 1993. He emphasised that the dam had not only fulfilled the irrigation needs of Baddi Perch, Chotti Perch Nadda, and Seonk villages but also had served as a vital water source for the local wildlife.

Joshi strongly accused the Department of Irrigation of negligence, stating that the dam’s current dried and silt-filled state is not due to deficient monsoon or rainfall but a result of years of neglect. “The silt accumulation, now as deep as 15 meters or 50 feet, with cracks four to five feet deep, has turned the reservoir into a death trap for animals,” Joshi stated.

Joshi further added, “Irrigation Department is responsible as it allowed silt to accumulate for years, whereas wildlife conservation department is responsible for not acting to ensure that animals don’t get trapped in cracks of the silt. Also, the mining department created hindrance in silt clearance and the forest department created hurdles due to forest around the dam, thus making all departments responsible for the critical situation.”

Joshi urged immediate action and accountability, calling for the registration of an FIR against the responsible officials. He stressed the urgency of restoring the dam to prevent further wildlife casualties and to ensure the continuation of its critical role in irrigation and wildlife preservation.