Amritsar (Punjab) [India], September 19 (ANI): A breach in a canal near Chatiwind Chowk in Amritsar led to water entering nearby roads and residential areas, following which administration teams reached the spot and launched efforts to control the situation.
The breach occurred in the canal near Chatiwind village on Tarn Taran Road during work to push pipes beneath the canal. After receiving information about water flowing towards roads and populated areas, officials and teams were deployed to the site.
Amritsar South AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar also reached the spot and took stock of the situation.
He said that work was underway to push pipes by boring beneath the surface water canal when the breach occurred, allowing water to enter the pipelines and move towards inhabited areas.
"Surface water canal ke neeche bore karke pipe push karne ka kaam kiya ja raha tha. Isi dauran kisi jagah se nahar mein breach ho gaya, jis ke karan paani pipes mein dakhil hokar abadi ki taraf jane laga," Nijjar told ANI.
He said that the water level in the canal was reduced to control the flow and further measures were being taken to bring the situation under control.
"The water level in the canal has already been reduced, and efforts are being made to reduce it further so that the flow of water can gradually decrease," he said.
"Teams from L&T, along with ADC, SDM officials and local volunteers, are present at the spot. Efforts are underway to plug the breach by filling sacks with soil and placing them at the affected site. Nets have also been arranged to support the process of blocking the breach", he said.
Nijjar said that no major damage has been reported so far, but warned that a bigger breach could have resulted in significant losses.
Meanwhile, Amritsar Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said, "Old pipelines and passages near Kot Mitt Singh on Tarn Taran Road bridge and Sultanwind area were not properly closed or capped earlier, due to which water started flowing out during development work after soil was removed".
Aujla said that administration teams, the government and residents are working together to control the situation. He added that continuous efforts are being made to stop the water flow and close the breach.
The administration is monitoring the situation, and work to repair the breach is underway. (ANI)
Punjab: Amritsar canal breach floods nearby areas; administration reduces water level to control situation
