The Punjab is all set to solve the chronic water logging problem that is affecting over 80000 acres of fertile land especially in the malwa area by importing sub trenching machines from Holland that could start digging sub-surface trenching within next 10 days.Inaugurating a two day workshop on’ Water Logging and soil salinity in Irrigated Agriculture’ here today Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Irrigation Minister, Punjab said that Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, CM Punjab waging a war against the problem of water logging and with his efforts and focused approach the area under water logging has been brought down from 1.04 lakh acres to 80000 acres.
Speaking at the workshop organised by Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP), Central water commission and Indian Council of Agricultural Research in association with Irrigation Department, Punjab, Department of Geology, Panjab University and International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage here today, Mr. Dhillon said that the problem of water logging is not only confined to Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka but the farmers across Punjab are facing this problem. He said that it is also posing health hazards as the people under water logging affected areas are under the risk of contracting cancer.
Mr. Dhillon said that during the tenure of Mr. Parkash Singh Badal as Chief Minister in 1997, a scheme was devised to address this problem. He said that until 1997 total area under water logging was 1.04 lakh hectare. In 1997-98 due to the persistent efforts of Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, new Drains were constructed due to which the area under water logging was reduced to 84800 hectares. After that in 2007-08 when Mr. Badal was again at the helm of affairs of the state, many scheme like sub-surface drainage, lift schemes and new drainage etc. were launched due to which the area affected by water logging was further reduce to 60,000 hectares.
Mr. Dhillon further disclosed that no dearth of funds would be allowed to come in the way of constructing new drains, lift schemes, sub-surface drainage system, cleaning of drains, widening/modelling of drains, removal of over burden, constructing embankments at low-lying places and to reduce the seepage of Rajasthan feeder and Sirhind Feeder by intercepting surface drains. He said that for this purpose, the Union Government has released Rs. 240 crores as first instalment and the State Government is in the process of releasing its share of Rs. 80 crore.
Elaborating further Mr. Dhillon said that to lay the underground pipes for sub surface Schemes, an order amounting to Rs. 20 crore has been placed with Inter drain company, Netherland for purchase of 4 No. trenching machines and these Trenching Machines will leave the Netherland on 11 September, 2015 and will reach here in October 2015. With these machines and 2 No. old Trenching Machines it is anticipated that works of sub surface amounting to Rs. 250 crore will be completed by March 2017 and with this 12882 acre area of about 53 No. villages will be benefitted.
He exhorted the scientists and technical experts to Find a long lasting solution to end the menace.On this occasion, Secretary, Irrigation Department, Punjab, Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Chairman Central Water Commission and CBIP Mr. A.B. Pandya, Chairman of Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, Indian Council for Agricultural Research Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Chairman BBMB Mr. A.B. Agarwal and Secretary CBIP Mr. V.K. Kanjlia also expressed their views.