The Irrigation Minister, Punjab, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon today conducted a review meeting with Forest Minister, Punjab, Mr. Chunni Lal Bhagat at forest bhawan to figure out some complications concerning the Bist Doab canal project. The Forest Minister instructed his departmental officials to sort out the problems at the earliest.Mr. Dhillon giving instructions to the officials of Irrigation Department made it clear that the renovation work of Bist Doab canal should be completed by 30th June so that water for irrigational purposes be provided to the farmers in accordance with the actual capacity of canal.During the course of a review meeting with, Mr. Dhillon said that this project initiated in 1954 would be renovated at a cost of Rs. 20 crore. He also divulged that at present, the water carrying capacity of the canal is 950 cusecs but after renovation this would increase to 1450 cusecs and the irrigational prowess would increase from 35000 acres at present to 2 Lakh acres.
The Irrigation Minister further said that another command area project of Rs. 560 crore cost is being executed separately. He also divulged that all the water channels would be replaced by the underground pipes. He also divulged that the total length of bist doab project is 801 kilometres and it has 2 branches, 14 distributaries and 39 minors.Elaborating more, Mr. Dhillon said that it was also decided to construct stairs on the embankments ensure no difficulty to the people performing chhatt pooja and other religious rituals from whichever city the canal passes.On the occasion, Secretary Irrigation Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Punjab Mr. Kuldeep Kumar, Chief Engineer Drainage S. Gursharan Singh Wasan, OSD to the Irrigation Minister, Mr. Sehajpreet Singh Mangat, Chief Conservator Wildlife Mr. Dhirendra Singh , Chief Conservator Forest Mr. Ratna Kumar, Mr. Churchill Kumar were present.