Credit war erupts over repair work on bundh in Lohian area

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, July 18

A credit war has ensued in the flood-hit Lohian area over bundh repair work as local officials of the Drainage Department have sent a written complaint to the Chief Engineer of Water Resources Department alleging that Rajya Sabha MP Balbir SIngh Seechewal was interfering in the work.

As Seechewal and his huge army of volunteers hogged all the limelight plugging the breach at Mandala Chhana village in a record five days, the drainage department officials perhaps are seemingly feeling discredited. There is a general impression that Seechewal has worked 24×7 while the department officials lagged behind.

In the communique that XEN, Drainage-cum-Mining-cum-Geology Department, Jalandhar, shot off to the Chief Engineer yesterday, it has been mentioned, “The work which we were getting done at the second breach at Gatta Mundi Kasu is suffering due to the interference of Seechewal. The progress of this work is getting affected. The department had roped in contractors with much difficulty but they have left the work midway. The work was to be carried out by Seechewal but he too did not get it started. Hence, our plan has got delayed by one day.”

He has further mentioned, “Monsoon season is underway. There is a prediction of heavy rainfall in this week too. Water level in Sutlej is rising, More water is to be released from Bhakhra dam into Sutlej this week. It is important for us to get this breach plugged at the earliest. We request you to ask the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, to intervene in the matter and get it resolved.”

Seechewal and his team have hit back saying that he had only asked the department officials to count the number of sand-laden tippers being brought to the site by the contractor so that only the due payment could be made to him.

Seechewal also said that there was a need to widen the first breach to make it commutable for which one full day got utilised. Finally, the work at the second breach was started by Seechewal’s team today. The bundh is 925 feet wide and is up to 48 feet deep. The work has been started from Dhakka Basti side where as many as 30 houses got washed away. Iron meshes have been readied and sandbags were filled into it. He appealed to the CM requesting him again to get the desilting work done in rivers after the end of the monsoon season and recover the land illegally occupied in the areas of water bodies.

Meanwhile, Shahi Imaam Maulana Mohammad Usman Rehmani Ludhianvi also reached the site and held a meeting with him asking them for assistance required in the work. They even performed namaz at the bundh and prayed for the well-being of the affected villagers.

Seechewal to take up issue in Monsoon session

MP Balbir Singh Seechewal would be leaving for New Delhi in a day or so as the Monsoon session of Parliament would begin from July 20. He said that he would take up the issue of flooding of Punjab, need for a special package from the Centre and other related matters during the session. His team of trained volunteers, however, would continue to work at the site for plugging the breach.