Tangri river channelisation on cards : The Tribune India

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Tangri river channelisation on cards

Good news for hundreds of families residing in colonies situated on Tangri riverbed in Ambala Cantonment, as they are likely to get relief from flood-like situations. The Irrigation Department has come out with a plan to channelise the river by constructing retaining walls, so that the rainwater could flow smoothly.

Tangri river channelisation on cards

The Tangri, a seasonal river, in Ambala Cantonment that swells when it rains heavily in the Shivalik region. A file photo



Nitish Sharma

Good news for hundreds of families residing in colonies situated on Tangri riverbed in Ambala Cantonment, as they are likely to get relief from flood-like situations. The Irrigation Department has come out with a plan to channelise the river by constructing retaining walls, so that the rainwater could flow smoothly.

Tangri is a seasonal river and it swells when there is heavy rainfall in the Shivalik region. Due to illegal colonies on the riverbed, the river has shrunk posing threat to the people residing there.

Residents are worried that in case the river floods, it could damage their homes as the houses have been built on the riverbed.

A majority of the people who live in these colonies are daily-wagers. A few years ago, water entered their homes and people lost their belongings. Resident said the houses were offered to them on cheaper rates by the property dealers. Now, more than 1,800 families reside on the riverbed. 

Deepak, a resident of New Ajeet Nagar (one such colony), said: “For the past few years, whenever there is heavy rainfall in the Shivalik region, the water enters our homes and damages furniture and other stuff. Due to the water entering the houses over the years, the foundations of a large number of houses have weakened and the walls have developed cracks. It has been a pending demand that some arrangements be made to provide a permanent solution, as a majority of the people who live here are poor and they can’t bear loses repeatedly.”

As per the information, the government initially has given the approval to construct retaining walls in the 2-km area (starting from Jagadhri Bridge and then downstream). Meanwhile, for this project, the government has also withdrawn a notification issued in 2017, in which the Tangri River was notified so that a check on illegal colonies could be maintained.

It was notified in the areas of Babyal, Sarsheri, Rampur, Khozkipur and Naggal villages under Section 45 of the Haryana Canal and Drainage Act, 1974. After the notification, all government departments were asked not to provide new electricity and water connections or NOC for new constructions. The Tehsildar was directed to ensure that no new registries pertaining to the notified area are done.

But locals were not happy with the notification and complained that a larger area had been notified, due to which they could face problems in the future, following which about 82-acre land was de-notified last year. The withdrawal of notification has also come as a relief to people, as they will be able to get the registration work of the properties done.

XEN Irrigation Department Praveen Gupta said: “The government has given an approval to channel the Tangri River, so that the floodwater could flow without disturbing the colonies situated on the riverbed. There will be retaining walls. It will be a beneficial project for the people of Ambala Cantonment.”

State Health and Ambala Cantonment MLA Anil Vij said: “The channelisation work will be done on the pattern of Gomati River in Lucknow. Till then, the notification has been kept in abeyance. People can get their work related to registries done and also get their building plans approved. The government has given in-principle approval for the project. Now, a team of Irrigation Department will go and study the channelisation work done in Gomati River and then the work would be done here. The project will provide relief to thousands of people living in houses built on the Tangri riverbed.”

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