Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal reviewed the restoration of ecology of holy Bein to prevent the discharges of the waste water from 74 villages located across its banks in districts Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur.A decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal during a high level meeting with the delegation led by the environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal here at CMR on Sunday evening.During the deliberations in the meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised that as many as 74 villages were identified across the banks, of which 52 were in Kapurthala district, 2 in Jalandhar and 20 in Hoshiarpur. Out of these villages, ponds have been constructed in 55 villages comprising 42 in Kapurthala district, one in Jalandhar and 12 in Hoshiarpur besides 19 ponds were yet to be constructed out of which 10 were in Kapurthala, one in Jalandhar and eight in Hoshiarpur. Meanwhile, the Chairman Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) told the Chief Minister that in 10 villages in Kapurthala district all the works starting from connecting of villages discharge to the ponds and its final disposal in the fields for irrigation purposes have been completed in all respects. In 32 villages, the ponds have already been constructed but still some pending works were left for which it was decided to get all the pending works completed on priority by the concerned departments within two months.
It was also informed in the meeting that in the remaining 10 villages where the ponds were yet to be constructed, the major issues related to the non-availability of land for the construction of these ponds.Responding to this issue, the Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala to arrange private or some other land in village Chanchak, Rawaal and its colonies, Dograwala, Lodhi Bhulana, Nanakpura, Talwara, Talwandi Purdal, Mainwa, Kadupur and Todarwal through negotiations so that this gigantic task could be accomplished at the earliest without any further delay.Likewise, in Jalandhar district, two villages Saraya Khas and Naugaja were identified across the banks of holy Bein. In village Saraya Khas, the pond has been constructed and the remaining works including pump, chamber, motor and irrigation network were still to be completed. In the second village, Naugaja, the construction work of the pond had already been allotted but stalled due to the dispute amongst the villagers.The Chief Minister directed the Chairman PPCB to get this work completed with the personal intervention of Sant Seechewal and former Minister Dr. Upinderjit Kaur, the funding for which would be done by the PPCB.
The Chief Minister was also apprised that in Hoshiarpur district, 20 villages were identified to be located on the banks of holy Bein, of which ponds have been completed in 12 villages and certain works related to irrigation network, electric connection, pump chamber, connection of village discharge to pond, and pipe network were still to be undertaken. Mr. Badal asked the Deputy Commissioner Hoshiarpur to complete these works on top priority within next two months. It was also decided in remaining eight villages, where land was not available for the construction of ponds and other related issues would be sorted out amicably by the district administration.Regarding the operation of Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) and utilization of treated waste water for irrigation in four towns namely Sultanpur Lodhi, Kapurthala, Bhulath and Begowal in Kapurthala district, it was informed that these STPs were operational and the treated waste water was being utilized for irrigation. The Chief Minister asked the Additional Chief Secretary Local Government to include the project of Kapurthala STP, which was based on obsolete technology and was not inconformity with the prescribed standards of PPCB in the urban mission.Since the discharge of village Rawaal and its colonies in district Kapurthala is quite substantial and thus there is a dire need of separate STP for this village and its adjoining colonies. The Jalandhar Development Authority had already deposited Rs.2 crore with Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) for the construction of STPs. The Chief Minister asked the DC Kapurthala to arrange requisite land for the said project at the earliest.
Responding to another issue raised by Sant Seechewal regarding acquisition of 8 acre land near holy Bein in Sultanpur Lodhi, the Chief Minister asked the DC Kapurthala to either go for transfer of land or acquire equivalent chunk of private land at some alternate site through mutual negotiation.Raising another issue to provide solar street lighting in Sultanpur Lodhi town, the Chief Minister asked the Punjab Energy Development Authority (PEDA) to complete the survey in this regard within one week and accordingly prepare a comprehensive project at the earliest.The Chief Minister directed the Additional Chief Secretary (PWD) to work out modalities for the construction of Flyover Bridge over railway crossing at Dalla Sahib Road and also asked him to take up this issue with the Ministry of Railways. The Chief Minister approved a sum of Rs. 12.50 lac to be paid by PPCB for the construction of Foot Bridge at Fattewal in district Kapurthala. The Chief Minister also agreed to the proposal of the Drainage Department to provide stone pitching on the bank of holy bein covering 6 km stretch at a cost of Rs.4.82 crore.Later, the former Cabinet Minister Dr. Upinderjit Kaur sought personal intervention of the Chief Minister for sanctioning special development projects and schemes for the historic Sultanpur Lodhi on the auspicious 550th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, which falls in 2019.
She demanded construction of entry gates on the two major roads leading to Sultanpur Lodhi, widening of Sultanpur Lodhi-Dalla Road from 18 to 33 feet, construction of new bus stand, renovation & extension of PWD Rest House and widening of the remaining ¾ kilometer portion of Bebe Nanaki Marg and early completion of STP on this sacred occasion.Referring to these demands, the Chief Minister asked his Principal Secretary to get all these issues raised by Dr. Upinderjit kaur examined from different departments so that final action could be taken to start these works. He told Dr. Upinderjit Kaur that the proposal of renovation of PWD Rest House has already been cleared and work would be started soon. He also assured that the new bus stand would be constructed soon by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB).Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary PWD (B&R) Mr. NS Kalsi, Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Mr. Satish Chandra, CEO Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Mr. DK Tiwari, Chairman Punjab State Power Corporation Limited Mr. KD Chaudhry, Chairman Punjab Pollution Control Board Mr. Manjit Singh and Member Secretary Mr. Babu Ram besides Deputy Commissioners of Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.