Jubbal’s Braveheart Brigadier Fights for Gayan Nallah from Hospital Bed — Takes on Jal Shakti Dept Headed by Dy CM Mukesh Agnihotri
SHIMLA, June 24: Even from the confines of a hospital bed at Command Hospital, Chandimandir, 75-year-old Brigadier (Dr) Daleep Singh Chhajta isn’t giving up the fight — not for himself, but for a water stream that has been the lifeline of an entire village.
Brig Chhajta, a retired Army officer and respected social activist who now lives alone in Shimla and Panchkula with just a personal assistant, has taken on the might of the Jal Shakti Vibhag, led by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, over the controversial choking of Gayan Nallah — a heritage water stream in his native village of Gayan in Jubbal, Shimla district.
Despite battling heart and brain complications in hospital, the Brigadier has fired off a strongly-worded letter to IPH officials, accusing them of trying to kill both the soul of the village and the survival source of its people.
“Don’t Turn Off Our Lifeline”
In his complaint to the Executive Engineer IPH Jubbal and SDO Sawra, Brig Chhajta warns that blocking the Gayan Nallah is nothing short of a criminal act.
> “Our village survives on this stream. During frequent breakdowns in the lift water supply, villagers — especially Dalit hamlets like Chalayan, Taieel and Keda — depend on Gayan Nallah for drinking water. It is not just water, it’s our heritage,” his letter reads.
The Brigadier has demanded that the department must keep an outlet open from the water reservoir and ensure some flow in the stream continues at all times.
“It comes from our land. We are ready to share it downstream, but we cannot be deprived of it entirely,” he asserts.
“Insensitive, Arrogant Officials”
The veteran soldier has named the SDO of Sawra and XEN IPH Jubbal for their “utter disregard” of local sentiments.
He alleges they are playing with the emotions of a community that has produced countless engineers, officers, and professionals who have served the country with distinction.
His cousin, former SSP Dr Ramesh Chhajta, has echoed the concerns, adding,
“It is shocking that the son of Roshan Lal Bhai, who hails from our own village, is now ignoring the plight of his own people.”
Heritage, Not Just Hydraulics
Brig Chhajta says the Gayan Nallah is not just a stream — it’s a symbol of the village’s emotional and cultural fabric. Blocking it, he says, is an insult to generations who have revered its waters.
In his words:
> “It’s the only drinking water source for those walking from Sawra to Kathasu. It’s sacred to us. You can’t just shut it off with your bureaucratic tap.”
The Battle Isn’t Over
Though weak in health, Brigadier Chhajta remains strong in spirit.
His message from the hospital bed has gone viral in the village and among the Himachali diaspora, rallying support from villagers, social groups, and retired servicemen.
The ball is now in the court of the Deputy CM’s department. Will they listen to a man who served the country with honour — and is now defending a dying stream with the same sense of duty?
For now, the old warrior fights on. Not with weapons, but with words — sharp, precise, and straight from the heart.
