Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed Mining and Irrigation departments to clean Satluj river and strengthen its banks in order to ensure flow of water and protect the villages along with the river from fury of floods.
Presiding over a high-level meeting with SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and officers of Mining and Irrigation departments, Badal asked the concerned officers to remove silt and sand from the river bed in a planned and efficient manner, as it was creating hindrance in the smooth flow of water.
He also directed the officers of Irrigation department to prepare a comprehensive plan for cleaning of river and strengthening its banks in next three days so that cleaning drive and channelisation of banks could start at the earliest.
While emphasising to tackle the problem of floods and to ensure smooth flow of river water, the Chief Minister asked the officers to execute the project under their direct supervision in a result oriented manner, an official spokesman said here.
Badal also stressed on the need for close coordination between the Irrigation and Mining Wing of the Industries Department to undertake this task in a cohesive manner so that the people residing in the villages of Ropar district could be saved from the menace of floods.
On the proposal to dig out sand from the river in first phase and then initiate the work of strengthening the banks of river, Badal said to take the entire work simultaneously so it could be completed well before the next rainy season.
