To stop India`s river water share flowing to Pakistan, Punjab Government has demanded for releasing of Rs. 412 crore from the center to construct a dam at Makora Pattan on Ravi-Ujj conglomeration and pressed upon the center to accord it a national project.During a meeting with Union Minister for Water Resources, Road Transport and Highways Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Mr. Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Water Resources Minister Mr. Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria today informed that with the construction of this dam about 600 Cs of river water flowing to Pakistan could be stopped and the state would be able to use this water for irrigation purposes.Informing Mr. Gadkari of details of the project proposal both Mr. Bajwa and Mr. Sarkaria said that a 7 km long channel would be constructed to carry through this water to put it put in Kalanaur-Ramdas Canal System to further utilize to irrigate 1 lakh acre of land already devoid of irrigation facilities. Moreover, with this project the state government would also be able to utilize this water to provide clean drinking water to 100 villages and 6 townships of this border area, added the Ministers.Both the ministers also appealed the Union Minister to approve it as a national project and release the required funds so as to complete this project in shorter span of time to stop water flow towards Pakistan thus to be used it in the interests of country.
Giving in principle approval to this project Mr. Gadkari asked the state government to submit Detailed Project Report (DPR) so that all the technicalities must be examined before constructing this project of national importance.Both Cabinet Ministers also asked Union Minister to decide upon the Center-State funding patter for already approved project of strengthening and up-gradation of Upper Bari Doab Canal(UBBD). ``At present only 2.76 lac hectare out of total area of 5.13 lac hectare was being irrigated, but with the completion of this project the remaining area would also be covered under canal irrigation system.Mr. Bajwa and Mr. Sarkaria also appealed the Union Minister to extend the Jammu-Katra Express Highway project to be constructed by the center through Amritsar-Dera Baba Nanak and Kalanaur. Both the ministers said that by extending through this project, expressway could be connected to the Kartarpur-Dera Baba Nanak Corridor.`` With passing of this expressway through these areas, it would facilitate the lakhs of devotes who would come to Kartarpur Sahib withn the completion of corridor in this current year devoted to the 550th Parkash Purab of Shri Guru Nank Dev Ji. Besides the project would also give fillip to the commercial activities in border area that would further play pivotal role in the development of this area, added the Ministers.Agreeing in principle with this new proposal Mr. Gadkari asked the higher officials of his ministry to present a detailed comparison report after thorough studying new and previous proposals of this project.