Pinjore choe water may feed Sukhna

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 19

Nearly 60 years after it was created, Sukhna Lake may surface from troubled waters, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court judges, advocates and experts from the two states exploring other possibilities of feeding it. 

The suggestions that flowed in after the visits to possible additional sources included bringing water to the lake from Rajipur village in Pinjore tehsil of Panchkula district. The possibility of transporting water from Siswan choe was also considered, along with the feasibility of pumping in treated water.

The initial survey suggests that the water flowing from the choe in Rajipur village into the Ghaggar river could be diverted towards Sukhna wildlife sanctuary and eventually into the lake. The entire exercise was not only being considered feasible, but also least expensive. 

Appointed amicus curiae or the friend of the court, Tanu Bedi is expected to place the suggestions before the Bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Ramendra Jain when the case comes up for resumed hearing. The judges, along with lawyers and irrigation experts gathered at the Punjab and Haryana High Court  for carrying out the day-long study. Senior advocate Manmohan Lal Sarin and Rajiv Atma Ram accompanied them. The team first inspected Patiala Ki Rao before proceeding to Jyanti Dam only to find the water level low. An inspection of the Siswan Dam revealed the possibility of bringing water to the lake but preliminary examination indicated construction of a 15 to 20 km link.

The team inspected Dhanas Lake, but found the treated water stinking. It also visited Sector 39 water works, where the possibility of diverting “raw water” into the lake was considered. Suggestions from Punjab to flow extra water from Bhakra did not find much favour with the UT authorities. The team also visited the Sector 28 plant for inspecting the treated water. Bedi and the others then hiked for about three hours to inspect the treacherous terrain around Rajipur village