Sidhwan Canal Pollution: Ludhiana MC’s cleanliness drive to continue till January 31

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, January 29

As the Irrigation Department is set to release water in the Sidhwan Canal in the coming few days, the Municipal Corporation has decided to continue the ongoing cleanliness work at the canal till January 31. The remaining work to clean the canal would be carried out in April when the flow of water is stopped again.

A huge amount of waste, including clothes, plastic carry bags and other items, had accumulated in the canal bed that falls under the jurisdiction of the Irrigation Department and flows through the city. The MC and Irrigation Department had launched a drive to clean the canal on January 4.

MC’s Zonal Commissioner at Zone D, Jasdev Singh Sekhon, who is looking after the work to clean the canal, said the MC would clean the stretch of the canal from Lohara Bridge to Barewal Bridge. A huge amount of solid waste and silt has already been removed from the canal.

Sekhon said it is expected that the Irrigation Department would release water in the water body by February 2. Thus, the MC has decided to carry out the cleanliness drive till January 31 and a temporary soil ramp, which was created to make machines enter the canal near Gill Road, would be removed by February 1.

He said around 60 per cent work to clean the canal in the city limits had been completed so far and the remaining work would be carried out in April when the flow of water is again stopped. He said: “The MC has cleaned the stretch from the BRS Nagar bridge to the Dugri bridge. Work from the Gill Road bridge to the Dhuri railway line is expected to be completed by January 31. The remaining stretches like Lohara bridge to Gill Road and BRS Nagar to Barewal Bridge will be cleaned in April.”

Sekhon said the MC has deployed its own staff and machinery to clean the canal. The MC has also issued 50 challans against violators who were found dumping waste in the canal recently, he added.

Though a cleanliness drive is underway, the MC has failed to remove a garbage dump near the canal bank on Gill Road despite repeated demands from environmental activists. The activists have accused the MC of failing to remove the dump from where waste is falling into the canal.

Meanwhile, a project at an estimated cost of Rs 6.64 crore to install chain-linked iron fencing (2-metre height) along the stretch of the canal within city limits is also underway.

Civic body fails to remove garbage dump

• Though a cleanliness drive is underway, the MC has failed to remove a garbage dump near the canal bank on Gill Road despite repeated demands from environmental activists.
• The activists have accused the MC of failing to remove the dump from where waste is falling into the canal