Batting for ‘faultless execution’ of the master plan prepared for eradicating the menace of water logging from the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today termed it as ‘panacea of all ills’ for the water logged districts of the state. Winding up his three-day whirlwind tour in the rain affected water logged districts of the state, the Chief Minister said that the existing master plan conceived by the state government last year, after minutely observing the gravity of situation in water logged areas, would permanently wipe out this grave problem, which causes huge loss every year. He said that the need of the hour was to immediately accomplish the task of relief and rehabilitation in the rain affected water logged districts for resuming the ongoing work initiated under this master plan in a planned manner. Mr. Badal also asked the Secretary Irrigation Kahan Singh Pannu to personally supervise the implementation of this master plan, so that people could get a major reprieve.In another significant decision, the Chief Minister also announced that under the proposed revamping of the drainage system of the state the Irrigation department has been directed to convert all the drains of the state into Flood Water Carrying drains.
Terming it as the need of the hour, he said that from last few years the floods occurring due to the incessant rains in the water logged districts have been causing a lot of damage to the crops and properties of the residents, so the conversion of existing drains into flood water carrying drains was the need of the hour. Mr. Badal said that the banks of Flood water carrying drains would permanently lined against the temporary ones of existing drains so that loss to the crops of the residents could be minimized. He also directed the Irrigation department to prepare the estimate of the entire project within a month for its early execution.
Conceding to the demand raised by the Cabinet Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, the Chief Minister also announced that the state government would soon realign the Baam Drain, known as ‘sorrow of Fazilka’, due to the havoc caused by the excess rain water in this water logged area. He asked the Irrigation department to realign this drain, wherever needed, so that residents of the areas in and around Fazilka could be saved from the fury of floods. Mr. Badal also announced the creation of a separate pision of the Irrigation department in Fazilka district, so that the work for prevention of floods could be undertaken efficiently.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed for the prompt rehabilitation of the affected areas due to which the work of reconstructing the damaged infra structure in the villages would be initiated within a month. Mr. Badal asked every department to submit the report of the damages within 10 days so that the process to renovate the damaged infra structure could be initiated at the earliest. “The herculean task of reconstructing the roads and other government buildings will be undertaken on war footing so that people do not face any sort of problem” he added.
Reiterating the firm commitment of state government to duly compensate the victims of this grave tragedy, the Chief Minister said that he has already asked the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to personally monitor the entire process of disbursing the compensation, so that people could be given relief in a prompt manner. He said that the Revenue department has been asked to evolve a foolproof mechanism to ensure that all the victims were able to get the compensation. “We will assess the entire damage to the standing crops and property meticulously so that the victims of this tragedy can be duly compensated for their loss” added Mr. Badal. During his visit in village Shajrana, Khui Khera, Ghallu, Jhumia Wali, Dhraag Wala, Kundal, Bhglaan, Ramgarh, Gaddadob, Channan Khera and others, the Chief Minister had detailed interaction with the victims of water logging. He assured the people that the state government was making concerted efforts to bail them out in this hour of crisis. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, MLA Mr. Gurtej Singh, Lok Sabha MP Mr. Sher Singh Ghubaya, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Irrigation Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Manjit Singh Brar.