Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh)— Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the cleaning of all drains, canals, and water channels must be completed before the onset of the monsoon. He emphasised that, especially in populated areas, strong berms should be constructed along drains and canals, and the work should be monitored regularly.
The Chief Minister was chairing a review meeting on the cleaning of drains, canals, and water channels with officers of the Irrigation, Public Health, and Local Bodies Departments here on Friday. He directed that a proposal be prepared for a drainage system up to the Rajasthan border in Fatehabad for the disposal of rainwater, so that farmers in the area can utilise the water for irrigation purposes. He further said that urban populations are increasing, and the natural flow of water is being obstructed in inhabited areas, leading to waterlogging. Therefore, proposals for new drainage projects should be prepared for such areas to prevent waterlogging in the future.
No negligence in the cleaning of drains and canals
The Chief Minister directed that the cleaning of rainwater and drainage-related drains and canals should be completed promptly, and no negligence should be tolerated in this work. He further directed that embankments in weak or vulnerable areas should be inspected in advance and strengthened in time. In addition, embankments in low-lying areas should also be reinforced to prevent overflow. He also stressed that trees should be planted along these embankments to make them environmentally sustainable and green.
The Chief Minister directed that special attention be given to the cleaning of the Ghaggar, Markanda, and Tangri rivers, along with the strengthening of embankments. He also directed that the flow of the Saraswati River near Cheeka in Kurukshetra be straightened. Additionally, he directed that a proposal be prepared for the drainage of industrial water in Bawal.
Officers of the Irrigation Department informed the Chief Minister that out of 825 identified drain and channel works, work has been completed on 713, and the remaining will be completed by June. They further stated that out of 425 short-term flood protection works, tenders for 250 have been finalised, and the remaining will be completed by the end of the month.
Additionally, the department has readied 839 diesel pumps with a capacity of 1,678 cusecs, 1,389 electric pumps with a capacity of 4,466 cusecs, and 495 mobile pumps with a capacity of 3,465 cusecs. In total, 2,723 pumps with a capacity of 9,609 cusecs have been prepared across the state.
The Chief Minister further informed that in 87 urban local bodies, out of 2,382 drains with a total length of 2,655 kilometers, cleaning of 1,116 kilometers has been completed, and the remaining work will be finished by June. Similarly, the Public Health Department will complete the cleaning of 100 kilometers of drains across 85 cities by the end of May.
Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Saket Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary Urban Local Bodies Department, Sh. Ashok Kumar Meena, Director, Land Consolidation, Sh. Yashpal, Engineer-in-Chief (Public Health) Sh. Devender Singh, Engineer in Chief, Irrigation Department, Dr. Satbir Singh, OSD to Chief Minister, Sh. Rakesh Sandhu and other senior officers were present during the meeting
