Vij visits waterlogged industrial area in Ambala Cantt

Haryana’s Cabinet Minister Anil Vij visited the waterlogged Industrial Area in Ambala Cantonment on Tuesday and stated that the industrial area was the lifeline of the region and permanent arrangements would be made to protect the industries.

The minister directed the district officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to establish a permanent water disposal system in the Industrial Area. He directed the officers to construct a water disposal tank, install large pipelines and establish high-power pumps to ensure rainwater was safely discharged into the Tangri river.

Vij said the project was expected to cost around Rs 50 crore, and he had instructed the Public Health Engineering Department and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) to prepare a detailed project report at the earliest.

Due to overflowing of the Tangri river, six to seven ft of water had accumulated in the industrial area, causing losses to the owners of the units. Even in 2023, they had suffered heavy losses due to the waterlogging.

Highlighting concerns raised by local entrepreneurs, Vij said, “The industrial unit owners have informed me about the rising threat of thefts around the boundary wall. To enhance security, I have allocated Rs30 lakh from my discretionary fund for the installation of streetlights around the area. I have also advised the Industrial Area Association to install CCTV cameras along the boundary wall for the complete safety of goods.”

The minister said the Ambala Cantonment Industrial Area was the lifeline for the region, providing employment to thousands through manufacturing and production. He informed that he was visiting the industrial area for the past three days to oversee drainage efforts and expressed confidence that the water would be cleared completely by Wednesday evening. The water level has been decreasing continuously.

Regarding the complaints of increased theft incidents in recent days, Cabinet minister Anil Vij immediately directed the Ambala Superintendent of Police to deploy police personnel in the area until the situation stabilises. The police force must remain stationed permanently until drainage and safety are fully restored. Instructions were also issued to the DSP, Ambala Cantonment, and SHO Mahesh Nagar to ensure strict patrolling and surveillance across the industrial area.

XEN Public Health Harbhajan Singh, XEN HSIIDC Baldev, Executive Officer Municipal Council Devender Narwal, SE Irrigation Department Munish Bhardwaj and DSP Ambala Cantonment Ramesh Kumar were present during the inspection.