SAS Nagar, January 31, 2025: Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain, while reviewing the district survey report, desilting and illegal construction along notified drainage/nalos/choes along with Chief Engineer, Drainage-cum-Mining & Geology, Harinderpal Singh Bedi and other officers, gave strict orders to the urban local bodies to keep a watch on illegal construction along notified drainage/nalos/choes etc. in the district.
On the issue of illegal constructions in Zirakpur area along Singh Nallah Choe, Sukhna Choe, Dhakoli Choe, Baltana Choe and Sukhna Creek being raised by the Drainage-cum-Mining & Geology officers, the Deputy Commissioner immediately directed EO Nagar Parishad Ashok Kumar Patharia to stop illegal constructions and issue show cause notices to MC officials if anyone has approved drawings in these areas.
He directed SDM Amit Gupta to head a committee comprising executive engineers of various departments dealing with all infrastructure needs to visit the area and take further action. Chief Engineer Harinderpal Singh Bedi, along with Superintending Engineer Patiala Circle Dr Rajinder Ghai and Executive Engineer Mohali Division Akash Aggarwal, recommended starting cleaning of low lying areas of water bodies in the district from dam areas to make flood prone areas safe from flash floods. He said that desilting of Patiala Ki Rao, Jayanti Devi Ki Rao, Siswan River and Ghaggar River is necessary before the next monsoon so that flood prone areas can be saved from the risk. Besides, the desilting process will also generate revenue and there will be no flood risk.
Besides, a supplementary DSR is also in progress to identify new mining sites in Siswan and Sunderan rivers, Drainage-cum-Mining and Geology officials told the Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner assured the mining officials that these sites would be demarcated in time to complete the DSR.
The Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain was also apprised about the construction of 12 RCC new check dams to recharge ground water in the areas of Rao rivers of Siswan, Budhki and Jayanti Devi.
The DC Ashika Jain asked the Drainage-cum-Mining and Geology officials to get the work done on the vulnerable and critical areas of water resources in the district so that flood like situation can be avoided. The Chief Engineer assured DC Jain to provide the required funds for this work and directed his team to send the proposal as soon as possible.
The mining officials demanded to increase the security at the inter-state mining check post Handesra so that PCR/patrolling party vans can be deployed at night to ensure the inter-state mining vehicle fee (around Rs 3000 per truck). The Deputy Commissioner immediately requested the District Police to deploy additional police personnel at night so that the vehicles carrying mining minerals can be stopped at the naka.
The Deputy Commissioner asked Additional Deputy Commissioner (G) Viraj S Tidke and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Sonam Choudhary to felicitate mining officials for protecting the district from floods, preventing illegal mining and carrying out DSR, desilting and other activities in the district.