Fazilka September 23:
Even as strong currents of water in the Sutlej creek, where water level has touched 18 ft, has washed away about 100 acres of land in about 12 villages located in the close vicinity of the border since last night, Army men have been pressed into service to strengthen its embankments to prevent any breach.
The strong currents have also been hitting the defence bundh raised during the Kargil War. Hundreds of Army men in association with other agencies of the state government have started strengthening the advance bundh at three points, where it got weakened to avoid breaches and subsequently flooding of nearby villages.
Soil Conservation Officer (Ferozepur) Attar Singh Bedi, who visited the affected areas, said preliminary assessment revealed that about 100 acres of land had been washed away in the past two days. Naib tehsildar (Fazilka) Jagmel Singh said weak points, which had developed in the left side embankment of the Sutlej creek at 17 to 18 RD, 22 to 23 RD and 27 to 28 RD, were being strengthened by raising their height and putting more sand by using tractor-trailers and JCB machines since last night.
“So far, the situation is under control as the water level in the creek is around 18 ft. If more water is released into the Sutlej from the Hussainiwala headworks, the situation may become serious,” he said. Water has entered fields of villages, including Dona Skandri, Kawanwala, Noor Shah, Kurkan, Dona Nanka, Teja Rawela, Gudder Bahini, Hasta Kalan, Mauzam, Mahatam Nagar and Mohar Jamsher of this subdivision.
It is learnt that water level in the creek went up after a large volume of water ranging from 36,000 cusecs to 41,000 cusecs was released from the Hussainiwala headworks towards Pakistan in the past few days. The water, after travelling some distance in Pakistan, again entered India in the Fazilka sector area.
Even as strong currents of water in the Sutlej creek, where water level has touched 18 ft, has washed away about 100 acres of land in about 12 villages located in the close vicinity of the border since last night, Army men have been pressed into service to strengthen its embankments to prevent any breach.
The strong currents have also been hitting the defence bundh raised during the Kargil War. Hundreds of Army men in association with other agencies of the state government have started strengthening the advance bundh at three points, where it got weakened to avoid breaches and subsequently flooding of nearby villages.
Soil Conservation Officer (Ferozepur) Attar Singh Bedi, who visited the affected areas, said preliminary assessment revealed that about 100 acres of land had been washed away in the past two days. Naib tehsildar (Fazilka) Jagmel Singh said weak points, which had developed in the left side embankment of the Sutlej creek at 17 to 18 RD, 22 to 23 RD and 27 to 28 RD, were being strengthened by raising their height and putting more sand by using tractor-trailers and JCB machines since last night.
“So far, the situation is under control as the water level in the creek is around 18 ft. If more water is released into the Sutlej from the Hussainiwala headworks, the situation may become serious,” he said. Water has entered fields of villages, including Dona Skandri, Kawanwala, Noor Shah, Kurkan, Dona Nanka, Teja Rawela, Gudder Bahini, Hasta Kalan, Mauzam, Mahatam Nagar and Mohar Jamsher of this subdivision.
It is learnt that water level in the creek went up after a large volume of water ranging from 36,000 cusecs to 41,000 cusecs was released from the Hussainiwala headworks towards Pakistan in the past few days. The water, after travelling some distance in Pakistan, again entered India in the Fazilka sector area.
