Morni region continues to reel under water crisis

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 16 

Residents of around three dozen villages in the Morni block continue to face shortage of safe drinking water due to the pending construction of Chamla Dam.

The issue of construction of dam stands pending before the Ghaggar Standing Committee of Central Water Commission as the Ghaggar passes through both Punjab and Haryana.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced to construct the dam, which could have solved the issue of the shortage of drinking water in the Morni region, but nothing has been done till now.

Now that Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria has been allocated the Ministry of Jal Shakti, people of the region are hoping that the issue would be resolved on a priority basis.

Vijay Bansal, Vice-President of the All-India Kisan Congress, said the BJP had failed to fulfil its promises to people. He said there was an acute shortage of drinking water and water for irrigation in remote areas of the region as people depended on natural resources and rain in the remote areas of the region. “It is high time that the Dewarna Dagrana Khepurali Chhampalai Irrigation Dam in Panchkula is constructed,” he said. 

The Irrigation Department in 2008 had sent a detailed project report to the Central Water Commission. The estimated cost of Diwanwala, Dagrana and Chamla Irrigation Dam was Rs 132.77 crore, Rs 83.69 crore and 20.41 crore, respectively. The Shivalik Vikas Manch in 2010 had urged Pawan Bansal, Minister for Central Water Resources, for the construction of these dams. 

Ambala MP Rattan Lal Kataria said he would initiate measures to solve the problem of safe drinking water and water for irrigation purposes at the earliest.

Dam pending

The issue of construction of dam stands pending before the Ghaggar Standing Committee of Central Water Commission as the Ghaggar passes through both Punjab and Haryana.