The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Amarinder takes stock of flood control steps

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Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004

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Other States - Punjab

Amarinder takes stock of flood control steps

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 22. The Punjab Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, today directed the administration in all districts to gear up their activities in unison with the State Irrigation and Revenue Departments to combat any eventuality during the ensuing monsoon season.

Presiding over a high level meeting to review the flood protection measures and to take stock of the situation of the preparedness of men and machinery here, Capt. Amarinder Singh said that there were five flood prone districts which included Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Patiala, Sangrur and Ropar. However, he directed that an action-oriented strategy should be chalked out keeping in view all the 17 districts.

The Chief Minister stressed that paucity of funds would not be allowed to hamper the progress of the on going drainage works in the State as a part of flood preparedness exercise. He underlined the need to identify the extremely emergent flood protection works and re-sectioning of drains on priority to enable the drainage department to execute these works at site before the onset of monsoon of 2004.

The Deputy Commissioners informed in the meeting about the steps taken by them for flood protection in their respective districts and also brought the problems being faced by them to the notice of the Chief Minister.

Most of the Deputy Commissioners asked for release of some additional funds for this purpose to enable them to carry out works already identified by them.

Expressing satisfaction over the steps taken by the Deputy Commissioners and other departments for the flood protection, the Chief Minister asked the Irrigation & Revenue Departments to work out the demand of funds for priority works and take up the matter with the Finance Department for additional funds as demanded by the Deputy Commissioners to execute the various flood protection measures before and after the floods.

Capt. Amarinder Singh also said that the staff of district administration should be provided with wireless sets to communicate effectively with State flood control room set up at State headquarters in case any emergent situation and tackle the same in a result-oriented manner.

Speaking on the occasion, the Financial Commissioner for Revenue, Gurbinder Kaur Chahal, said that Rs 4.65 crores had been sanctioned during the current financial year to the Calamity Relief Fund.

All the Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners of the State besides the Administrative Secretaries of the concerned departments attended the meeting.

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