31 yrs on, villagers await reconstruction of bundh

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Togar (Ludhiana), August 23

A portion of the Sutlej bundh that had been damaged in 1988 floods is yet to be reconstructed. Villagers claimed that the bundh portion had been “missing” between the villages of Togar and Rour, near Mattewara, in the district since 1988 floods.

When 2.75 lakh cusecs of water was released into the Sutlej around five days ago, the fields adjoining to this missing portion of bundh were flooded, damaging the crops. The villagers claimed that river water also damaged the boundary wall raised by the Forest Department.

Ex-serviceman Makhan Singh (49) of Garhi Fazal village said: “The bundh portion between the villages of Togar and Rour was swept away in 1988 when Sutlej wreaked havoc in the area. I had witnessed the destruction caused by the swollen river then. The bundh along the river is missing on nearly 750 metres between Togar and Rour villages. No government bothered about reconstructing the bundh in 31 years.”

“On Sunday night, people of the nearby villages were worried as water had entered the fields at Togar village in the absence of the bundh. The boundary wall of the Forest Department was also damaged. I appeal to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to get the bundh reconstructed to prevent flooding of fields,” said Makhan Singh, who is also a volunteer of the Guardian of Governance (GOG).

Gurdeep Singh of Mangli village said: “Our village is also located close to the river. Flood threat looms large whenever the river is in spate. The government must get the missing part of the bundh reconstructed here.”

Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said he had no information in this regard. A bundh is built wherever required, he said.

Phillaur: The PPCC general secretary, Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, along with officials on Friday visited Puwari village to inspect the ongoing work to plug a breach on the banks of the Sutlej. Sandbags and wire mesh cages were being put up to prevent further erosion soil, said Vikramjit. OC