In a bid to save the people of south western parts of the state from the scourge of Water logging, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod for initiating a massive drive for cleaning and de-silting village ponds in Fazilka and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts.Presiding over a high level meeting at his office this morning, the Chief Minister said that during the rainy seasons these ponds were used for carrying the excess water in these districts to save the people from the water logging. However, he said that these ponds during the rest of the year remained were used merely for disposal of waste water, thus a massive drive must be initiated to clean and de-silt these ponds, so that their capacity could be enhanced.
Mr. Badal said that at present there were about 440 ponds in these two districts over an area of nearly 1300 acres.The Chief Minister categorically said that this move would help in lowering down the level of water in ponds adding that this massive drive must be completed by April so as to give reprieve to people during the rainy season. He also asked the Secretary Irrigation Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu to supervise the entire exercise by constituting teams at block level. Mr. Badal also said that the concerned Deputy Commissioners would be entrusted with the task of carrying out the work in their respective districts.
The Chief Minister also underscored the need for starting a campaign to motivate the farmers to go for adopt deep ploughing in the water logged areas so as to enhance farm productivity in these districts. He said that a special campaign must be initiated during the period between harvest of wheat crop and sowing of paddy crop, so as to make the farmers of water logged districts aware about the benefits of deep ploughing.Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary Rural Development Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema and Secretary Irrigation Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu.