Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh revealed that the channelization work of River Swan and its tributaries will be inspected by independent agency for assessing the quality of work either on the analogy of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) or from the Quality Council of India.
Chief Minister revealed it while presiding over the review meeting of the Governing Body of Swan River Channelization project here today.
He said that the work should be not in patches and maintenance of quality must be ensured and maintained. He stressed upon raising embankments upwards along the stream or the tributaries which were being channelised and asked to complete the entire work in a planned manner. He said that the departments should ensure that the cost of the project, its sanctioning year and the year of completion and the masses to be benefited thereupon, should be clearly mentioned on the small hoardings and planks and the same to be installed at the project execution site.
“It was quite commendable that the IVth Phase amounting to Rs 922.49 crore has been got sanctioned within nine months of the formation of this Government”, said the Chief Minister adding that it will reclaim 7163.50 hectare of land for irrigational purposes and will add to the economy of the local people.
The Chief Minister said that under the fourth Phase it has been proposed to completely Channelize the main Swan River till March 2015, adding that it has also been proposed to channelise the Main Swan river from Daulatpur bridge to Gagret Bridge including all its 73 tributaries which join the main Swan river from Daulatpur Bridge to Santokhgarh Bridge.
The work of construction of embankments in main Swan River from Daulatpur Bridge to Santokhgarh Bridge measuring Five Kilometers on each bank and on Una Khud, Jaswal Khud, Garni Khud. Kangar-badhera Khad, Pandoga rivulet, Khad-di-Khad all measuring 45.335 kilometers has been started for which an amount of Rs 120 crore was being spent.
The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction of the ongoing work and so far a target of seven kilometers has been completed and 119 hectares of land reclaimed.
The inter-state dispute between the Government of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh regarding No Objection Certificate for Channelisation has been resolved with regard to phase three amounting to Rs 55 crore the sanction of which will be accorded soon.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need for proper drainage system of Una town. He said that during monsoons the main Una city becomes waterlogged due to poor drainage system, The Chief Minister said that proper drains which can bear strong water current be constructed and the water be drained into the nullahas, from where it can be finally let off into the rivers. He directed the authorities to find a solution of the water-logging in Una town and explore possibilities of constructing proper drains.
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the work on the fourth phase of the Swan Channelisation was going in full swing. He said that the approval for funding of this project under Flood management Programme had been accorded by the Inter Ministerial Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, GoI.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, Chief Secretary P. Mitra, Additional Chief Secretary Upma Chaudhry, Principal Secretary, Revenue, & Environment Tarun Shridhar, Principal Secretary Finance, Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment P.C Dhiman, Principal Secretary, IPH, K. Sanjaymurthi were present amongst other senior officers of the Swan project.
