The Projects started to control the fury of floods in Punjab are near completion. The work of de-clogging, de-silting, cleansing of canals and drains is continuing on war footing, whereas the fortification of embankments of canals and rivers is also about to complete. We will ensure that there is no loss of life and property by the prospective floods in case of heavy rain. The remaining work of these projects would be accomplished within stipulated timeframe. It was disclosed by Irrigation Minister, Punjab Janmeja Singh Sekhon, while presiding over a review meeting of the senior officers of the Irrigation Department here today. He said that the work on centre approved projects worth Rs.2175 crore stalled midway due to the fractured release of grant by the Centre Government. Sekhon inspected the progress of various projects and instructed the officer of Canals, Drainage, Punjab Water Resource Management and Development Corporation Limited and Kandi Administration (all the wings of Irrigation Department), to achieve the target within set time period. He said that no laxity would be tolerated in this regard. Reviewing the work of centre approved irrigation and flood control projects in the state, Sekhon remarked that although the centre had approved projects worth Rs.2175 crore, but we had not even get the full first installment, which resulted in, the work on these projects stalled midway. He said that he would personally call on the Union Minister and urge him to release the grant immediately. Replying to the point of scarcity of staff raised by Chief Engineer (Canals), Sekhon said that the all the vacant post would be filled at the earliest after pursuing the directions of Chief Minister, Punjab Parkash Singh Badal. He instructed Principal Secretary, Irrigation to initiate the process in this regard. He said that Punjab had a reserved quota in the Bhakhra Bias Management Board (BBMB), but the employees of other states were working against Punjab’s quota in the board. He said that henceforth Punjab would recruit its specialized officers and would send them to the BBMB. Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included, Sohan Singh Thandal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Irrigation, K.B.S. Sidhu, Principal Secretary, B.S. Dhaliwal, Technical Advisor to CM, A.S. Dullat, Chief Engineer (Canals), Vinod Chaudhary, Chief Engineer (Drainage), Harwinder Singh, Chief Engineer (Kandi) and Superintending Engineers and XENs of the department.