Pak pushing back water into Ravi: Dhaliwal

Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has accused Pakistan of building high embankments along the Ravi in its territory diverting water flow towards India with a motive of causing flood.

After visiting border villages, including Ghonewala, Daria Musa, Kot Razada, Chaharpur and others, which are situated close to the Ravi in Ajnala constituency, Dhaliwal said the move was affecting the fertile agricultural land of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar villags. The Ravi, which meanders through Ajnala and Gurdaspur’s Dera Baba Nanak before entering Pakistan, is in full spate. It could inundate BSF outposts situated beyond the border fence, he said.

The MLA said now Pakistan wanted to economically hurt border villagers by flooding their farming land, their only source of income. He said the move was a part of anti-India conspiracies. Earlier it was using drones to smuggle drugs, and weapons. Now, river water was being used for anti-India activities.

He met with gram panchayats, farmers, farm labourers and border residents to review the current situation of possible floods and also held a meeting with BSF officers and jawans stationed at the Kamalpur border outpost to gather information about the rising water level in the Ravi.

He said the government had already issued directions to Deputy Commissioners for girdawari to provide compensation for the crop damage. A grant of Rs 276 crore had been released for the cleaning of drains, repair of breached embankments, and other necessary measures, he added.