CHANDIGARH, APRIL 18— The Punjab Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, sanctioned a new policy on Friday allowing private landowners to desilt rivers, choes, and drains at their own expense. This initiative is designed to bolster the state’s flood preparedness as the monsoon season approaches by removing sediment that restricts water flow.
Under the approved guidelines, individuals who undertake the desilting process on their property are permitted to use the excavated materials free of charge. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Office declared that a major citizen-centric decision has been taken by the Punjab Cabinet led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann to approve allowing landowners to undertake desilting of rivers, choes, and drains including River Sutlej, River Beas, and River Siswan.
The administration has pinpointed nine critical locations where silt accumulation poses a significant threat to public and private infrastructure. Official records indicate that failing to address these specific sites could lead to reduced carrying capacity and heightened flood risks during the upcoming rains. The government maintains that involving citizens will facilitate the expeditious execution of these necessary works while managing potential liabilities.
In a separate move to streamline local governance, the Cabinet affirmed an amendment to Rule 6 of the Punjab Reservation rules. This change focuses on the offices of Sarpanches, Zila Parishad, and Panchayat Samiti. The spokesperson asserted that the move is aimed to rationalize the representation to each category for reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Castes Women, Women and General category. The new rule requires a fresh roster for rotation if 10 percent or more of the Zila Parishads in the state are affected.
