WB to solve water-logging problem in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: Following Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's redressal of the problem for water-logging and cleaning of ponds in the State, a 5-member team of World Bank led by its leader Shymal Sarkar called on the CM's late last evening.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had earlier asked World Bank to bail out the state from the menaces through adopting a multi-pronged strategy, said an official release.

Briefing the Chief Minister about observations made by the WB team during its recent visit in the villages of Muktsar and Faridkot districts, Sarkar said that the State Project Management cell constituted for the implementation of the project should be strengthened by delegating more powers to oversee the progress of Rs 1280.30 crore World Bank Punjab Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project.

He also asked the Chief Minister to solicit the support of local panchayats and NGOs to motivate the rural population to join this project. He stressed the pace of the project must gear up so that it could be accomplished within five years.

Sarkar said that he would recommend the authorities of the World Bank to sanction a comprehensive rural programme for cleaning of ponds and the problem of water-logging which had adversely affected crops and property in the two districts.

Appreciating the concern of Badal for water-logging and cleaning of ponds, Sarkar said that he had personally visited the water-logged areas in the state and underlined the need to undertake corrective measures immediately for water logging and the cleaning of the ponds.

He also agreed to the suggestion of Badal to install treatment plants of fixed capacity according to the size of the ponds, but this could only be possible after seeking the expert opinion of the technocrats in the field.