Rs 256 crore plan to tame Yamuna, Giri & Bata rivers

Efforts to provide long-term relief from recurring floods in the Paonta Sahib region have gained momentum with the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR), worth Rs 256 crore, for the channelisation of Yamuna, Giri and Bata rivers along a 25-kilometre stretch near the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border.

Paonta Sahib MLA and former Energy Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary said the proposal, once implemented, would bring a permanent solution to the devastation caused during the monsoon season. Each year, the swelling rivers wash away farmlands, destroy tubewells and cause damage to public property, putting thousands of villagers at risk.

Chaudhary stated that a separate DPR of Rs 24 crore has already been prepared exclusively for the Giri river, while efforts are underway to ensure that the Bata river is also brought under the Central project. He assured that during his upcoming visit to Delhi, he would raise the issue strongly with the Union government to secure its inclusion.

Highlighting the recurring losses, Chaudhary said floods have been causing erosion of thousands of bighas of fertile land annually, apart from inflicting damage to irrigation infrastructure and threatening villages located near the riverbanks. He added that with the new DPR in place, the prolonged problem is expected to see an end soon. The MLA also revealed that the Union Jal Shakti Minister has already approved Rs 28 crore for the beautification of Yamuna Ghat and Swarg Dham in Paonta Sahib. The tender process has been completed, and the work is scheduled to commence on a war footing.

Chaudhary reiterated that the channelisation project is a long-pending demand of the people of Paonta Sahib, and this time the matter will be forcefully taken up at the central level to ensure its implementation.