The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ganderbal, Shafqat Iqbal today visited various sites where desilting of irrigation canals is going on, to have firsthand appraisal of the works.ADC Ganderbal, Farooq Ahmad Baba, Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Ganderbal, Tehsildar Ganderbal and other concerned officers accompanied the DC.During the visit the DC visited various sites including Padshahi irrigation canal, Tail point at Tekyi Pandach and Shalabugh irrigation canal and directed the Executive Engineer to expedite the pace of de-silting on these important irrigation canals by engaging more workers as huge chunk of irrigation land is dependent on these canals.During his visit to Padshahi irrigation canal, the locals apprised the DC about the dumping of slit in the locality which emits foul smell and is causing inconvenience to the local populace and urged for dumping the waste outside the locality. The DC directed the Tehsildar to identify the alternative dumping site outside the locality and instructed the Executive Engineer to dump silted waste at one place without scattering it on canal banks.
The locals also raised the issue of shortage of drinking water in the area due to SE canal damage at Malshahibagh and the DC assured them that water tanker service will be made available in the area on daily basis.While inspecting the progress on de-silting the DC urged the Executive Engineer to ensure deep cleaning of the canals. He also exhorted for physical verification of desilting work through field visits.While urging locals to refrain from depositing illegal waste in irrigation canals, the DC said that District Administration is monitoring the desilting work regularly and also preventing the disposal of waste material in the canals of the district.Pertinently, keeping in view the approaching irrigation season, the District Administration has prioritized the desilting works of all important irrigation canals besides, providing livelihood to daily wage workers who could not earn due to lockdown.