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Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 17 May 2015

JAMMU: Announcing that there is no change in Artificial Lake project and it will be completed soon, Minister of PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar said that an unnecessary controversy has been created in Jammu by leaders of Congress and NC, who are in deep frustration as they are now out of power. Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar, while addressing media persons at BJP headquarters on Sunday, said that the project which was designed, approved  and taken into hand by the previous NC-Congress coalition government, was started in a hasty manner without completing the allied works prior to starting the construction of main pillars. He said that NC and Congress leaders are now creating confusions to divert the attention of the people of Jammu from the wrong doings of their government in River Tawi’s Artificial lake project.

Referring to his recent meeting with the Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti over the Lakes and Irrigation projects, Sukhnanadan Kumar said that the Union Government is very much keen in completing Tawi River’s project at the earliest as it will also serve to be a source of irrigation through Ranbir Canal besides becoming tourist destination in City of Temples.  700 cusec of water for irrigation of tail end areas of R.S. Pura, Bishnah, Suchetgarh etc will be available from this lake, he said.

The PHE Minister said that there is no question of shelving this prestigious project adding that already an amount of Rs 55 crores has been spent and more than 85 % work has been completed but unfortunately the allied work which was to be completed prior to starting the pillars erecting, has resulted into tilting of few pillars. He said that the project is feasible but it will take some time and additional funds to complete the allied works of constructing concrete embankments. He said that it is due to this reason that question was raised over its feasibility, for which none other than the previous NC-Congress coalition is responsible. He also advised the frustrated former Ministers of NC and Congress to desist from provoking the people of Jammu for their own faults in the past.

The PHE Minister also said that the problem of irregular supply of drinking water is being taken seriously and all efforts are being made to provide relief to the people, appealing the people to make judicious use of the available water. BJP State Spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan and State Publicity Secretary Aseem Gupta were also present in the Press Conference.