Punjab local government minister pays surprise visit to Zirakpur’s Baltana, inspects Sukhna choe
Punjab Local Government Minister Ravjot Singh paid a surprise visit to Baltana in Zirakpur on Thursday morning and heard the problems being faced by locals.
The minister inspected the Baltana bridge over the Sukhna choe and took stock of the situation. Garbage, cow dung, and plastic and furniture waste is being dumped into the choe, which leads to clogging and subsequent flooding of the nearby areas in the monsoon season.
Baltana resident Swaranjit Kaur said, “Every year this area gets flooded in monsoon. The police post, nearby MC park and crematorium are flooded as the flow of the rivulet is obstructed by debris and waste material. Due to this, locals face problems."
The minister asked MC officials to issue a notice to violators who dump waste material into the choe and on shamlat land.
Singh said, “It is our endeavour to meet people, hear their problems and find a solution. As we all know, the area faces problems in the rainy season, so I, along with local MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa and MC officials, am trying to take preventive steps."
Locals informed the minister that it is the only major road connecting Baltana and Panchkula. Office-goers, school buses and businessmen use it for daily commute.
While the UT administration has begun the annual cleaning of the Sukhna choe, the Punjab Drainage-cum-Mining and Geology Department is yet to undertake de-silting and cleaning operations in the seasonal rivulet. The choe is littered with weed and silt. Illegal constructions and encroachments along the rivulet have increased over the years.
The Punjab government on May 14 set in motion the construction of a high-level bridge, spanning 100m, replacing the causeway in Baltana, over the Sukhna choe, but it is likely to take a year.
The choe carries the excess storm water from Sukhna Lake through Kishangarh, Daria and Makhanmajra and enters Baltana, from where it flows to Bhankharpur and finally merges into the Ghaggar.
Punjab