A day after The Tribune highlighted that unchecked growth of weeds in Badi Nadi has raised fears of blockages that could lead to flooding in Patiala’s low-lying areas, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh and Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal on Tuesday reviewed the city’s drainage network.
They claimed that desilting and cleaning works were progressing on a “war footing”.
Earlier in the day, Dr Balbir Singh, accompanied by the DC, MC officials and officers of other departments, inspected the Badi Nadi, Chhoti Nadi, the main drainage system and rainwater channels.
The minister said the Punjab Government was committed to providing a permanent solution to Patiala’s recurring waterlogging problem and that drain cleaning, capacity enhancement and improvement works were being carried out in a planned manner. He directed the officials concerned to ensure quality, speed and timely completion of all ongoing projects.
The Deputy Commissioner said the district administration was closely monitoring drainage works and prioritising vulnerable locations before the onset of the monsoons.
During a ground survey, The Tribune found several major drains were still clogged with dense weeds and wild vegetation.
Stretches of Badi Nadi, Jacob Drain and other key stormwater channels remain partially blocked due to weeds, putting the city’s monsoon preparedness under the scanner.
At several locations — Badi Nadi, near Jujhar Nagar and Jacob drain, near MC office, Sullar village — the thick vegetation has significantly reduced the water-carrying capacity of the drains, increasing the risk of waterlogging in the event of heavy rainfall.
However, residents observed that substantial work of cleaning drains remains unfinished even as the monsoon was round the corner.
Rashpal Singh, a three-time former councillor, expressed apprehension that inadequate cleaning could lead to flooding if the city experiences heavy rains in the coming days.
“The effectiveness of the ongoing drainage-cleaning drive is likely to face its first major test during the rains,” he said.
Departments told to deploy extra manpower
MC Additional Commissioner Simarpreet Kaur, along with officials of the civic body, also reviewed the cleaning of drains, sewer lines and stormwater channels in various areas of the city.
Simarpreet Kaur directed the departments concerned to deploy extra manpower and machinery in areas where desilting work was still pending.
She also instructed officials to ensure that the quality of work was not compromised at any stage and that progress was being monitored on a daily basis.
