Drinkable canal water to be supplied to 4 Metros of the State, announces Local Bodies Minister

Chandigarh/ Kapurthala, August 2, 2022: Minister for Local Bodies of Punjab Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that the Punjab is all set to provide drinkable canal water to the residents its 4 metro cities namely Jalandhar, Patiala , Ludhiana and Amritsar with an aim to save the rapidly depleting ground water.

Addressing the media persons here today after reviewing the ongoing development works and implementation of welfare schemes, the Minister said that  Punjab Government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to ensure maximum utilisation of river/canal waters and in first phase 4 big cities would get the canal water under 25 to 30 year plan. Besides that 85 other cities and towns have also been identified which falls within the 15 KM radius of any river or canal so that the drinkable water to be provided to major portion of Punjab in an easy manner.

Directing the officials to ensure quality control, the minister said that contractors who didn’t work as per the specifications must be blacked out for future works to ensure quality in government works.

Reviewing the current status of setting up Medical College in Kapurthala, the Minister said that he would take up the matter with the concerned departments so that the work may be started as soon as possible.  It may be mentioned here that the proposed medical college would be set up in 11.50 acre in the city .

Taking serious note of road quality and  water lodging, the minister said that there should be zero tolerance towards poor quality of roads and PWD and Municipal Corporations must work in a transparent manner to ensure quality check in a strict way.

He also made it clear that construction of roads by laying bitumen during rain would be dealt as criminal activity and responsible officials would be held accountable for that.

He also announced that display Boards to be installed to ensure road quality mentioning length, name of contractor , concerned XEN and nodal agency which execute works with mobile numbers so that more transparency may be ensured in working.

Reviewing the 16 projects under Smart City Sultanpur Lodhi, the Minister has asked the officials to complete these projects on war footing as it would not only facilitate the pilgrims visiting the holy city but also to promote it as a favoured religious tourist destination.

He also ordered the Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils to start special drive to aware the people regarding discontinuing the use of single use plastic.

Besides that  Helpline numbers and single window system should be set up in MCs to redress the grievances of people in stipulated time frame, he added.

The minister further said that it was decided to delegate the power to ADC Urban Developments and MC Commissioners to pass out the building maps except the maps of housing societies and commercial malls or multiplex’s to facilitate people.
Earlier a Punjab Police contingent presented a guard of honour to the cabinet minister in the presence of Deputy commissioner Vishesh sarangal and SSP Navneet Singh.

Deputy Commissioner Vishesh sarangal has assured the minister on behalf of all officials that the district administration will work with full dedication to meet target of development works and to ensure that the benefit of welfare schemes should reach out beneficiaries at grassroots level.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included ADC G Ajay Arora, ADC Phagwara Dr Nayan Jassal, ADC (D) SP Angra, ADC UD Anupam Kler , SDM Sultanpur Lodhi, SDM Kapurthala Hardeep Singh , AAP leader Manju Rana , Joginder singh Mann former minister , District president Nikita Sikhlani , Ranjit singh Rana , state secretary Gursharan Singh Kapoor , state joint secretary Gurpal singh , Parvinder singh Dhot etc.