Bundh not strengthened, 50 villages face flood threat

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, July 28

Nearly 50 villages face the threat of floods as the state government hasn’t yet released the adequate funds for the strengthening of the advance protection bundh in the Makhu area of the district.

Sources said around Rs 105 lakh were required for the reinforcement, widening and further strengthening of the Dhussi bundh near Khanna Kalan village on the Moga-Ferozepur border. However, the government had failed to act despite several reminders.

At present, the flow of water downstream Harike is around 20,000 cusecs, however if it rises to around 45,000-50,000 cusecs, nearly 50 villages faces the threat of inundation. While in Moga, the bundh has already been reportedly widened to around 23 feet, its width was around six feet in Ferozepur, which too has been weakened by the burrows created by rats.

Deputy Commissioner DPS Kharbanda along with officials from drainage, police, home guards, NDRF and revenue departments today visited the advance protection bundh along Dhussi and flood-prone villages in Zira tehsil. The team visited Kassuwala Mor, Giddarpindi-Lohian track, Ruknewalan, Basti Ram Lal, Muthianwali, besides other vulnerable areas. The NDRF team was apprised of the sensitive flood-prone areas. the DC said the funds would be released soon for strengthening of the bundh,

Kharbanda said already Rs 7.5 crore had been spent on the repair and strengthening of the embankments and officials concerned had been told to expedite the pending work at the earliest. He said the Railways had been asked to expedite the work on the extension of embankment up to the rail track near Gidarpindi-Lohian rail bridge between Ferozepur and Jalandhar to plug 25-ft split. The DC said Rs 16 crore would be spent on the construction of bridge between Kimewala and Jogewala.

The water in the Sutlej upstream Harike head works has gone up to 42,838 cusecs, while it was recorded as 20,745 cusecs downstream which was going towards Hussainiwala from where around 1,500 cusecs was being released in eastern canal. The rest 18,855 cusecs was being discharged towards Pakistan.