The long-pending issue of installing a new flood-protection spur (noch) to safeguard the Dhussi embankment along the Sutlej River at Mandala Chhanna village has finally been resolved. Farmer Gurmukh Singh, prioritizing public welfare over personal interests, has agreed to provide land for the construction of the spur, following which the Drainage and Revenue Departments have initiated the necessary procedures.
The breakthrough was made possible through the efforts and intervention of Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal. Accompanied by Shahkot Tehsildar Jaspal Singh and officials from the Drainage and Revenue Departments, Sant Seechewal visited the site and supervised the land measurement process.
The Drainage Department has also begun conducting surveys and preparing cost estimates for the project. Expressing his gratitude to farmer Gurmukh Singh, Sant Seechewal said that his selfless contribution would significantly help protect the region from future flood threats.
This Times Punjab Government, through the Drainage Department, has already strengthened the embankment by carrying out stone pitching works worth nearly ₹18 crore. Sant Seechewal recalled that severe riverbank erosion along the Sutlej last year had posed a serious threat to the embankment.
Construction of new spurs was essential to divert the river flow away from the embankment and prevent further damage. However, the project had been delayed due to difficulties in acquiring the required land. He said that with the cooperation of local residents, village panchayats, and the administration, the issue has now been successfully resolved.
Farmer Gurmukh Singh agreed to provide land in the larger interest of the area and its people. Notably, Singh has already lost nearly 18 acres of land to river erosion, yet he displayed remarkable generosity by supporting the project for the greater public good.
Sant Seechewal also thanked the Tehsildar, officials of the Drainage Department, village sarpanches, and local residents for their collective efforts in bringing the matter to a successful conclusion. Appealing to both the administration and the public, he emphasized that preventive measures are far more effective than relief operations after floods occur.
He further informed that the Drainage Department is continuing river-cleaning operations and that the government has permitted people to remove silt and soil from the riverbed until June 30 to ensure unobstructed water flow. Senior officials of the Drainage Department stated that the survey work has been completed and the project has been forwarded for approval.
The department is making every effort to commence the construction of the new spur before the onset of the monsoon season so that the embankment can be further strengthened and the region safeguarded against potential flooding.