CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 21 — Ajnala legislator Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday, petitioning for the construction of a dam on the Ujh River as a definitive measure against seasonal flooding in Punjab.
To establish a long-term solution, the MLA asked Lieutenant Governor Sinha to take up the matter directly with top central officials, including the Prime Minister and the Union Jal Shakti Minister.
“A permanent solution to this serious problem is possible only by constructing a dam on the Ujh River and ensuring proper management of the water,” declared Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, adding that the state spends significant sums on temporary relief, embankment repairs, and drainage clearing every season.
The region has faced successive flood crises, notably in 1988, 2023, 2025, and again in 2026. The rising water levels submerge expansive agricultural tracts, wreck standing crops, and cause extensive structural damage to public infrastructure such as schools, roads, and medical facilities.
Beyond public infrastructure loss, the memorandum noted that seasonal waters routinely cut off access roads relied upon by army units and BSF personnel stationed along the border.
Beyond controlling seasonal water flow, proposal plans indicate that establishing a technically viable reservoir on the Ujh River would help store monsoon excess, generate renewable hydroelectric power, and stimulate the local economy through expanded tourism.
