Change of river course near Sabhra village keeps admn, residents on toes

Tarn Taran, July 29

The change of the Sutlej river course near Sabhra village on Thursday night has become a cause of worry for the administration and the area residents. Now, the water instead of flowing straight is heading towards the river bank.

Sabhra village sarpanch Jasbir Singh said instead of flowing straight, water was heading towards the Sutlej river bank. He said the river was swallowing the fields of farmers in the Mand area. He said the water could damage stone studs along the river, breach the bank and enter villages and the fields. He said hundreds of residents would be rendered homeless if the situation persisted.

At present, more than 350 villagers and 150 MGNREGA workers are busy strengthening the river bundh with sandbags. The elders of Sabhra, Kutiwala, Ram Singhwala, Dumniwala, Gadaike, Jhugian Natha Singh, Jhugian Kalu, Jhugian Peer Bakhash, Sito Meh, Muthiawala and other villages are appealing to residents through the public address system to come to the site with their equipment and help strengthen the river bundh.

Jasbir Singh said food and other eatables were being provided to the people working round-the-clock on the spot by Nihal Singh, head, Gurdwara Baba Veer Singh, Sabhra village, and Baba Jagtar Singh from Tarn Taran.

Deputy Commissioner Baldeep Kaur said a whirlpool in the river had created such situation. She said it could pose a serious threat to the river bank.

She said the administration had asked residents to arrange ‘thikri pehras’ in their respective villages to keep a watch on the river bank. She said JCBs, poclain machines, tippers and sandbags had been sent to the site to strengthen the river bank.