Jammu/April 5: Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Choudhary Wednesday inspected the desilting works on Main Ranbir canal and Distributary D-11 from Satwari to Pandorian and directed the officers to expedite the pace of works so that sufficient water can be provided to the farmers for irrigation purposes.
He further said desilting should be done upto the canal bed and garbage retrieved from the canal should be properly dumped before releasing the water in the canal.
Chief Engineer, I&FC Rajeev Gandotra and other senior officers of the department accompanied the Minister during the inspection visit.
While inspecting ongoing desilting works at Jeevan Nagar, Dharap, Kotli, Dabber and other sites, the Minister asked the contractors to engage more JCBs to complete the work within stipulated time frame. The water would be released in the canal only after conducting thorough inspection of the desilting works on the whole canal, he added.
The Minister also enquired the status of notices being served to the encroachers and those who throw garbage in the canals. He directed the officers to take up plantation drives along the canals and proper fencing should be done to save the plants from stray animals.
The Minister also inspected AEE Office at Pandorian and asked them to personally monitor the progress of ongoing desitling works, besides properly maintaining tour diaries. He further instructed that Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) should sit in their respective sub-division offices while Junior Engineers (JEs) should remain present in their Section Headquarters.
