Project to clean Sidhwan canal: DC inspects ongoing work; urges residents to stop dumping waste in the canal to avoid action by civic body

Ludhiana, January 20, 2023: With Municipal Corporation (MC) working to clean Sidhwan canal, Deputy Commissioner (DC) cum Chairman of District Environment Committee Surabhi Malik inspected the ongoing works at Dugri canal bridge on Friday. 

Accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Amarjit Bains and MC Zonal Commissioner (Zone D) Jasdev Sekhon, DC Malik appealed to the residents to stop dumping waste in the canal. Appreciating the efforts being put in by MC teams in cleaning the canal, DC stated that it is also the responsibility of the residents to keep the canal clean by not dumping waste in the water body in future.

She stated that National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also taken a strict note of the pollution in water bodies in the past. The MC and irrigation department will be forced to take strict action against the violators, if they continued to dump waste in the canal. 

Even after a large portion of the canal has been cleaned by MC within the city limits, residents are still dumping waste in the canal. While the civic body will be issuing hefty challans to the violators, irrigation department will recommend FIRs against them for indulging in the illegal practice, she added.  

Local Bodies minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar had kick started the work to clean the Sidhwan canal from BRS Nagar canal bridge on January 4. 

Zonal Commissioner Jasdev Sekhon stated that the canal falls under the jurisdiction of the irrigation department. Amid rising concern over garbage and filth dumped in the water body, which moves through the city, MC has stepped up to clean the canal in coordination with the irrigation department. The flow of water has been stopped in the canal for now, but the water will be released in the coming few days. The remaining portion of the canal will be cleaned in the next phase. 

Cabinet minister Dr Nijjar also kick started the project to install chain linked iron fencing (2 meter height) along the 13 kms long stretch of canal within the city limits on January 4. The aim of the project is to stop the residents from dumping waste into the canal.