Addressing the on going problems of water logging in the south-western areas of Punjab and making state free from water logging, the Punjab government has urged the government of India, through the Niti Ayog, to release the balance 2nd. Installment of Rs. 100 crore at the earliest so that the works could be completed within the fixed time frame.Addressing the meeting Mr. Kaushal said that the government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to tackle water logging problem in the state. Along with surface drainage system, state irrigation department has planned extensive use of sub-surface drainage system particularly in low lying pockets of Muktsar and Fazilka Districts.Giving details of the steps taken by the state government in tackling the water logging issues, he said that with the removal of the obstructions in the flow of drains created by the pipe type structures, flood water from water logged area drains was evacuated within 10-11 days during the floods of 2014 whereas it was 20-21 days during floods of 2013.
Briefing the visiting Inter Sectoral Team about the work plan for the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 for which Rs. 400 crore has been demanded from the GoI, the Chief Secretary said that the state government has planned construction of 30 sub surface drainage schemes at a cost of Rs. 120 crore, on desilting and widening of drains and dewatering/deepening of ponds etc. Rs. 65 Crore, Rs. 140 crore to be spent on construction of Pucca Works on drains, Rs. 40 crore on construction of new surface drains, Rs. 8 crore on construction of new lift schemes and Rs. 27 Crore on removing over burden from banks of drains to facilitate movement of machinery for desilting of drains.
Expressing its satisfaction on the ongoing works of Punjab government to tackle the menace of water logging in the south-western areas, the Chairman of the Inter sectoral team Prof. Ramesh Chand said that they have taken the first hand information after visiting the affected areas and suggested that a multi pronged strategy has to be exercised to tackle the leakage from both the Rajasthan Feeder Canal and the Sirhind feeder canal. He has also assured the state government to take up the issue with the Government of India for releasing the required funds to Punjab so that the work could be completed within a stipulated time frame.Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Sh. Jatinder Kumar, Advisor Niti Aayog, Sh. Vinod Shah, additional Secretary, Rajasthan Govt., Sh. Avinash Mishra, joint advisor(W.R.), Niti Aayog, Sh. P.S. Ghuman Chief Engineer/Drainage, Sh. G.S. Wason, Chief Engineer/Canals.