Substandard material used to construct Ishar Nagar bridge, claims Public Action Committee

The Public Action Committee (PAC), a group of NGOs, here has stated that the Ishar Nagar bridge over Sidhwan Canal is in bad shape and if it is not repaired immediately, then it can lead to a fatal accident any time. The members of Public Action Committee — Kuldeep Khaira, Jaskirat Singh and Kapil Arora — had gone to the site of the bridge and had said that the pillars had become rickety and even developed holes, with its construction material slowly eroding.

Hundreds of vehicles move throughout day and night on this particular bridge and if any pillar collapses, it can prove fatal, maintained the PAC members, adding that they had informed about it to the Irrigation Department, but to no avail. The PAC has now decided to submit a complaint to the Vigilance Department in the state so that a probe could be carried out to access how much was spent and how these pillars were in a dilapidated state within a few years of its construction.

On the issue of damaged pillars of the Ishar Nagar Bridge, the members said that they had brought it to the notice of the Irrigation Department three days back, but it was difficult to wake up officials from deep slumber. “It seems that the contractors used poor construction material for the bridge with the connivance of department officials. It is in a real sorry state,” said the PAC members.

The Committee members said that they would go to any extent to protect environment in Punjab.

Apart from that, the PAC members are expected to move the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as soon as possible with regard to cutting of trees in a forest. Kapil Arora while talking to The Tribune said that the members had visited the area near railway lines in Doraha, where the entire forest green cover was being reduced just to widen the Sirhind feeder canal.

“It is so sad to notice that the green belt was being reduced without any consideration for environment. Besides, two red snakes, a highly protected variety of snakes, were found dead in the area. Strangely, this process of widening is being carried out by the Irrigation Department without any green concerns. “We are going to move the NGT tomorrow against this because the officials of the department seemed to hardly bother what is being done there,” rued Arora.