Instructing the officers concerned to focus on enhancing water conservation and improving irrigation efficiency, Haryana Chief Minister, Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said that the State Government is taking firm and determined steps to strengthen the irrigation and water infrastructure. Under this initiative, five major projects under the Irrigation and Water Resources Department are being implemented, each with an investment exceeding Rs. 100 crore. These projects aim to enhance water conservation and improve irrigation efficiency, he added while presiding over a review meeting of various pivotal projects of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department in Chandigarh.
Issuing strict directions, he said that there must be no unnecessary delay in preparing engineering drawings. Delays in drawing approvals hinder project implementation, he said.
Saini further said that strict action will be taken against officers responsible for such delays. Besides this, he also directed that special attention be paid to maintaining quality in the projects, stating that no compromise on quality would be tolerated. He said that a new parallel lined channel (PLC) from Dadupur to Hamida Head and the modernisation of the WJC is being carried out with an investment of Rs. 274.87 crore. The objective of this project is to reduce seepage losses from the Hathnikund Barrage during the non-monsoon period. So far, 64.5 percent of the work has been completed, with a target to finish by March 2026, he said.
He stated that the reconstruction of the augmentation canal up to the WJC Branch (75.25 km) is being undertaken at a cost of Rs. 383 crore, with 80 percent of the work completed and expected to finish by June 2025. Similarly, the lining and remodeling of the PD Branch (from Munak to Khubru Head) is underway at a cost of Rs. 197.80 crore, which includes concrete lining over 145.25 kilometers.
The CM said that the Irrigation Department has prepared short-term strategies for Monsoon 2025 to ensure uninterrupted water supply and protect infrastructure during the season. These include temporary protective works at the Hathnikund Barrage and maximising discharge capacity in critical canals, he said.
Source & image: https://shorturl.at/yoyDA
