STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Friday visited Akhnoor and Jourian and took an on the spot review of the pace of work on the flood protection works on Chenab river.
The Chief Minister visited the villages of Sangrampora, Mairra and Gair to personally inspect the bunds and other protection structures being raised on the banks of Chenab River.
Mehbooba Mufti, on the occasion, was informed that these flood protection works form part of a Rs. 195 crore comprehensive flood protection project covering 54 works on the river in the area.
She was also informed that with the completion of these protection works not only would the people living on the two banks of the river be saved of floods, some 15 thousands Kanals of land would also be retrieved annually which is usually washed away in floods.
At Sangrampora, the Chief Minister was informed that 60 per cent of the protection works at the spot stand completed while work on the rest is apace. She was also informed that works of similar nature are underway at Manchak, Bakore, Manhasan, Gurah, Mairra, Gair and other villages. She also inspected the protection works at Mairra and visited the entire 500 metre strip of protection bund at Gair village which is being raised on the right bank of the river.
Mehbooba Mufti instructed completion of works on these spots at the earliest keeping in view the coming season of floods. She specifically directed undertaking plantation drive in these critical flood zones to arrest the soil erosion and prevent washing away of soil.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Shyam Choudhary; MLA, Akhnoor, Rajeev Sharma; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal; Secretary, PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Saurabh Bhagat; Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh; heads of several engineering wings and other officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
En route, several deputations met the Chief Minister and apprised her of their problems and sought their redressal.
At Gair village people demanded speeding up work on the Paragwal bridge whileas at Mairra village people demanded compensation for their lands as per the Girdawari status.
At Kote Garhi, the villagers demanded starting of a bus service to their village and construction of a 2.50 Kilometre Kote Garhi to Sangrampur road.
The Chief Minister directed the Divisional and Deputy Commissioners to look into the issues raised by people and redress them at the earliest.
