Rs15.6 lakh allocated for work on Sutlej bandh

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, July 22

Even as monsoons began two weeks back, work to strengthen the bandh along the banks of Sutlej River has been expedited in the Sultanpur Lodhi area now. It is crucial, as it will guard agricultural land of as many as 15 villages from the floods.

Deputy Commissioner Deepti Uppal said work to strengthen bandh would be completed before August 10 as more than 100 labourers under the MGNREGA were working on this project on a daily basis. She said the Punjab Government had sanctioned Rs15.63 lakh, of which Rs12.41 lakh was to be spent on labour charges, whereas Rs3.21 lakh was spent on construction material such as sand bags and wire for grid binding.

She said during her last visit to review the flood preparedness measures on Sutlej, people from villages such as Gidderpindi, Darewal, Mand Inderpur, Tibbi, Bharowana and Takia raised the demand to strengthen river banks to save them from floods like last year, which caused a huge loss of agriculture and cash crops.

The DC said the Drainage, Rural Development and the Panchayat Department had been asked to complete the work within the deadline. She also said the district administration had also sanctioned a special grant to purchase 1,756-kg wire, which was used to bind the stone studs.