Important steps taken by government to minimize the damage due to floods

Chandigarh: To minimize the damage caused by floods, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led the State Government took an important decision to regulate the construction activities in the vicinity of natural water bodies. For any project within a 150-meter radius, approval from the Drainage Wing will be mandatory.

       In a press statement issued here today, Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that during the recent floods, it has been observed that the flow of flood water has been obstructed at many places in the choe’s/drains, rivers etc., due to which Public property and private infrastructure have been damaged. He said that because of this, the department has decided that now the projects within a radius of 150 meters from the drain/river/choe bank will require NoC from the drainage wing.

       The Minister further said that to make this process more smooth, the competent authorities should issue NoC according to the project area. It has been asked to simplify the issuing process so that no company/agency faces any problems. The authority to approve areas up to two acres is vested in XEN, Chief Engineer for areas from 2 to 25 acres and the government will have the right to approve the area more than 25 acres.