Harshraj Singh
Tribune Information Service
Ludhiana, June 28
A giant portion of the Dhussi bund and berm (space alongside the banks) on the Sutlej was broken at Garhi Fazal village close to Mattewara in Ludhiana district final 12 months, when the river had overflowed throughout the rains. Nevertheless, floods had been averted when a villager reached the embankment and raised an alarm after seeing the broken portion.
Nevertheless, studying no classes from the previous, no work has been achieved to strengthen the river banks this 12 months. The panchayats of varied villages, together with Garhi Fazal, Machhiyan, Toggar and Mattewara, have written to the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner on this regard.
The sandbags positioned to restore the banks at Garhi Fazal final 12 months have now began getting broken. The residents of close by villages are apprehensive that the ‘weak banks’ would possibly result in a tough scenario as soon as the rains start.
Gurnam Singh (68), a villager, mentioned, “When a major portion of the bund and adjoining land washed away last year, axed trees and sandbags were placed to protect the remaining portion. The trees and sandbags have started getting damaged now. Monsoon is nearing but no steps have been taken to strengthen the banks. We fear there are chances of flooding if the banks are not strengthened on time”.
Within the letter to the Ludhiana DC, Garhi Fazal village sarpanch Joginder Kaur mentioned round 1-km-long portion of the river bund had develop into weak. She appealed to the district administration to take steps to strengthen it.
In August 2019, floods had hit some villages of Ludhiana district, when a protracted breach had occurred within the Dhussi bund on the Sutlej in Bholewal Qadim village. Gurcharan Singh, sarpanch of Allowal village, mentioned the breach within the bund at Bholewal Qadim was plugged by placing in soil final 12 months. “But there is an urgent need to strengthen the river embankment. We have requested the department concerned in this regard many times but officials of Ludhiana and Jalandhar are passing the buck over the jurisdiction. The flood threat can’t be ignored as the bund is weak. We request the government to do the needful,” he mentioned.
In accordance with an official of the Drainage Division, the work received delayed because of fund crunch. Nevertheless, Harjot Singh, govt engineer of the Drainage Division, Ludhiana, mentioned the tendering course of had been accomplished and the required work on the Garhi Fazal bund and different factors can be began quickly. “The work will start within a few days at vulnerable points at Dulewal, Mattewara, the seed farm site near Ladhowal, Khera Bet and Manewal sites in Ludhiana district,” he added.
