Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked all the Deputy Commissioners in the state to prepare comprehensive master plan of drains and rivers in their respective districts in sync with the engineers of irrigation department to ensure its regular de-silting/cleaning and strengthening of flood protection works along the rivers to save the people from the fury of floods during monsoon season.Presiding over a meeting of State Flood control board to assess the preparedness of flood protection works with the Deputy Commissioners here at Punjab Bhawan this afternoon, Mr. Badal asked the Secretary Irrigation Mr. KS Pannu to prepare a final blue print on the basis of these master plans so that the flood protection works could be executed on the regular basis instead of following an adhoc approach normally as a convention prior to the rainy season. He said special allocation of funds should be provided in the annual budget to carry out these works regularly on permanent basis. The Chief Minister also directed the Secretary Irrigation to prepare an action plan based on this blue print in consultation with the Chief Engineers stipulating the priority works to be carried both in drainage as well as canal wings of irrigation.Meanwhile, the Secretary Irrigation apprised Mr. Badal that additional funds demanded for permanent works and other installations as a part of flood protection works by the Deputy Commissioners would be examined separately on the merit and released subsequently with prior approval of the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister also gave nod for the up gradation of gate and gearing of head works and other regulators of canals which were in dilapidated condition since long and needed immediate repair and renovation. Mr. Badal asked the Secretary Irrigation to prepare a detailed proposal in this regard to seek Rs.85 crore from NABARD. Realizing the sensitivity of the matter, Mr. Badal directed the Secretary Irrigation to immediately start the up-gradation of gate and gearing of head works and regulators of canals especially head works at Ropar, Madhopur and Harike.The Chief Minister also approved Rs. 132 crore to undertake flood protection works and cleaning of drains in all 22 districts across the state and directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure timely completion of these works well before the onset of ensuing monsoon season.It may be recalled that out of Rs.132 crore, Rs. 100 crore would be released from the state funds and Rs.32 crore would be spent from already approved Rs.960 crore by the Government of India to undertake works to combat the menace of water logging in the south-west Punjab.
The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners to get these works completed from the irrigation department positively by 30th June, 2016 under their personal supervision. He said any officer/official of Irrigation department for showing laxity in the flood protection works would be held personally accountable and thus emphasized the need to utilize these funds in the best possible manner by taking up the works on priority especially at vulnerable sites in their districts to effectively combat any eventuality arising out of the floods during the ensuing monsoon season.Prominent amongst other who attended the meeting included Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Irrigation Mr. KS Pannu, Secretary Revenue Mr. Sameer Kumar, Secretary Agriculture Mr. Vivek Partap Singh, Secretary General Administration Mr. KAP Sinha, Secretary Planning & Expenditure Mr. Jaspal Singh, Commissioner Industries & Commerce Mr. SR Ladhar besides all the Deputy Commissioners, Chief Engineer Drainage and Superintending Engineers of Irrigation Department.