Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, Sunday visited the breach spot on the Sindh extension canal at Malshahibagh, Ganderbal and took stock of ongoing restoration work.
The breach resulted from sloughing in December last year andaffected the 6.8 MGD Alasteng WTP, which supplies water to several areas innorth of Srinagar and several parts of Ganderbal district.
Pole was accompanied by deputy commissioner, Srinagar,Shahid Iqbal Choudhury; deputy commissioner, Ganderbal, Shafqat Iqbal; chiefengineer PHE, Abdul Wahid; chief engineer, I&FC, Mir Shahnawaz; ADC Ganderbal,Farooq Ahmad Baba; SE hydraulic, Ganderbal; executive engineer I&FCGanderbal and other officers.
While reviewing the progress of work on the breached spot,the Divisional Commissioner directed the authorities to expedite the repairwork by engaging more men and machinery and exhorted for charging the canalwithin the shortest possible time.
The executive engineer, I&FC briefed the DivisionalCommissioner about excavation plan and current progress of the repair work.
The Divisional Commissioner was also informed that portablewater was supplied to 15 lakh people of Srinagar and about one lakh souls ofGanderbal besides several hectares of agricultural land is also dependent onthe canal for irrigation.
While reviewing the repair work, the officials raised theissue of material supply due to lockdown including steel for truss griderflumed bridge, which they construe as the main reason for slow progress ofwork.
The Divisional Commissioner said the matter will be taken upwith the concerned supplying agency, company and directed the DC Ganderbal toform a comprehensive plan so that the work on the breached spot was completedat the earliest, in view Kharif irrigation season.To ensure that theaffected areas receive adequate drinking water supply, the DivisionalCommissioner directed the officers to ensure sufficient rows of temporary pipeswere laid to bypass the damaged spot to overcome shortage of portable water inthe affected areas.