Avinash Azad
MLA Akhnoor, Mohan Lal Bhagat, questioned the government regarding village-wise details of damages caused by soil erosion along the banks of River Chenab over the past two years. He also sought information on the steps taken to mitigate the damage and prevent further erosion.
In response, the government stated: “The list of damages due to soil erosion along the River Chenab during 2022-23 and 2023-24 includes 105 affected locations. To address the issue, a project under NABARD has been initiated with an allocation of ₹55.54 crore. The project aims to prevent soil erosion in villages situated along a 29-km stretch on each side (left and right) of the river, covering a total of 58 km.”
Villages Covered Under the NABARD Project:- Right Bank: Gurgi Dhaki, Sangrampur, Maira, Chak Kirpal, Bissa Chak, Manda, Chanjwan, Dalpat, Sitriwala, Indri, Manchak, Gair Bakore, Gigrial, Dhanpur, Datyal, Pangali, Hamirpur, and Sidder.
– Left Bank: Kharoun, Garkhal, Kotli Fattu, Burj Channi, Pargwal, Sajjwal, Brahmana-De-Kothe, Gurha Manhasa, Gujral, and Hamirpur Kona.
Ongoing and Upcoming Works
For the financial year 2024-25, 19 projects worth ₹31.44 crore have been tendered, allotted, or are under construction. The remaining 17 works, costing ₹24.10 crore, will be undertaken in the next financial year.
Additional Efforts Under SSY & SDRF
Apart from the NABARD project, certain works are also being carried out under the Samridh Seema Yojana (SSY) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF):- SSY (₹116.13 lakh) covers villages: Kotli Fattu, Chibba Kothe, Bakore, Indri, Gair, and Burj Channi. – SDRF (₹34.62 lakh) covers villages: Sangrampur, Dalpat, Chak Pura, Maira, and Sitriwala. With these multi-faceted initiatives, the government aims to safeguard the affected villages from further soil erosion and mitigate damage along the banks of the River Chenab.
