CHANDIGARH, Oct 24: A special committee will be constituted to visit other states and study innovative and economical flood-protection techniques suitable for Punjab’s topography, the state’s Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said today.
Chairing a meeting here, Goyal said such comparative studies would help in adopting cost-effective and practical methods to strengthen the state’s flood management infrastructure.
He also issued strict directions to the department for the timely completion of all flood-protection and de-silting work ahead of the next monsoon season.
The minister reviewed the ongoing and proposed measures for flood prevention and effective water management across the state.
Taking up the matter of recurring flooding in Baupur in Kapurthala, the minister expressed concern over the hardships faced by local residents and instructed the department to work out suitable technical solutions to provide permanent relief.
He also reviewed the situation in waterlogged areas and asked officials to plan and execute long-term projects to ensure sustainable mitigation.
Goyal stressed that all flood-protection work must be executed with full diligence and completed well before the onset of the next monsoon season.
He directed officials to ensure close monitoring of field execution and timely completion of tendering processes.
While discussing the de-silting programme, the minister stressed that field execution should commence at the earliest to ensure the natural flow of water through rivers and drains.
He further directed that plantations and other obstructions from river courses must be removed without delay. Officials said that notices have already been issued to those responsible for encroachments.
The meeting also reviewed the status of breach repair work undertaken during the recent floods. (PTI)
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