In an attempt to tame Ghaggar, which has caused floods in the region, the Punjab Government is launching an ambitious project to increase the siphon capacity at Khanauri, near Sangrur.

The Rs 137-crore project, which would be launched by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal later this week, would double the siphon capacity, which at present is 13,000 cusecs.

Punjab has accused Rajasthan of not placing all relevant facts before the Ghaggar Standing Committee while seeking approval of schemes to utilise the waters of the Ghaggar, which it had no right to do.

Punjab has asked Rajasthan to get the matter resolved, failing which it would be constrained to pursue appropriate action as per the law.

Panchkula, September 13 In the months to come, road connectivity in the region is set to touch heights with the Ambala-Zirakpur and Zirakpur-Parwanoo four-laning projects being completed soon.

Ambala-Zirakpur project
Incharge: GMR company

Cost: Rs 282 crore (approximately)
Deadline:November 14

The collapse of a part of the bridge over the Ghaggar river near Ratia town in the district within days of it being declared fit for use has exposed the working of the public works department. The bridge was opened for vehicular traffic only last week and a part of it caved in yesterday. Poor repairs whereby the contractors filled the chasm created during the last accident with soil and stones without its proper compression is said to be the reason behind yesterday's incident. Sources said the authorities had blacklisted the contractor.

Flowing with ample rainwater a month and a half ago, the seasonal Ghaggar now has little water to offer.

Unscheduled long power cuts offering little time to farmers to irrigate land, an abysmally low water table and erratic flow of water in the Ghaggar are giving sleepless nights to tillers. Farmers with land along the river in the district are more concerned.

A farmer of Khareka village, Baijnath, who cultivates nearly four acres located near the Ghaggar, says these days one notices water in the river, but the flow is less.

Residents of Panihari village are a happy lot. They are celebra-ting freedom from floods for the first time in living memory. Agricultural wages have increased across the district in the past one