Tarn Taran, Jul 24 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said the party is committed to laying concrete on all ‘bundhs’ (earthen embankments) on the Sutlej and Beas rivers, from Himachal Pradesh to the Pakistan border, to make the entire adjoining area flood-proof.
In a statement, the SAD said Badal was touring villages of Khadoor Sahib Constituency which are situated on the edge of the Sutlej and Beas rivers and are prone to flooding.
Interacting with farmers during his visit, Badal said, “It is shocking that the AAP government has not undertaken any flood protection works despite widespread damage to paddy crops across lakhs of acres of land last year.
Farmers fear whether the bundh here will hold in case of excess rain, he said.
While assuring the farmers that the SAD would promptly help them to strengthen the bundh, he also volunteered to provide diesel fuel and gabions for this purpose.
The next SAD government would not only ensure bundhs were bolstered with concrete, it will also create roads alongside those to strengthen them as well as ease movement of travel for people living along the rivers, he said.
Badal also urged the people to beware of those who were trying to weaken the SAD as well as Sikh institutions.
“There was every likelihood that a new Akali faction would come to you to seek your votes claiming they were the real party. You should remember that we are the real heirs to the panthic legacy, which we have safeguarded for more than 100 years now,” he said.
Badal further said all development which had occurred in Tarn Taran as well as the other border areas of the state occurred during SAD tenure.
“The border areas are crying for development with both the Congress and the AAP abandoning its people. The SAD promises to go in for holistic development of the border areas and bring in a special package to attract industry into the area to create jobs and prosperity,” he added. PTI JMS CHS PRK
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