Admn seeks army support to strengthen dhussi bundh at Mandala Chhana village

The district administration has sought the assistance of the Army to reinforce the eroding dhussi bundh near Mandala Chhana village of Shahkot, where large-scale protective works are underway to avert a potential flood threat.

Mandala Chhana was the site where a breach had occurred during the 2023 floods, causing extensive damage in adjoining villages. The breach had then been plugged through the efforts of Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal’s teams, even as the Sutlej remained flooded for over a month.

With water levels starting to recede over the past week, the same site has again come under pressure, causing damage to the dhussi bundh. Villagers had been working since then to plug the site, but with the situation worsening, the Army has now been called in.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, along with ADC Jasbir Singh, SDM Shubhi Angra and DSP Onkar Singh Brar, have been camping at the site to oversee the strengthening operations being carried out under Seechewal’s supervision. They, along with officials from the Drainage Department and hundreds of volunteers from nearby villages, have been working day and night to secure the stretch of the embankment.

“The participation of the Army will accelerate the strengthening process and ensure the bundh is safeguarded before any untoward situation arises,” Dr Aggarwal said.

Seechewal lauded the collective spirit of the local community, officials, and now the Army, working shoulder to shoulder in what he described as a “mission to protect lives and livelihoods.”