Punjab CM asks Centre for funds to tackle water-logging problem

Muktsar: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday urged the Centre to immediately release funds towards tackling the grave problem of water-logging in the state.

Interacting with mediapersons here, Badal said a high-level expert group constituted by Union Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Ramesh to study the water-logging crisis in Punjab had already submitted its Detailed Project Report. Badal said the DPR submitted by the panel led by Mihir Shah, member (water resources and rural development) of the Planning Commission of India, needed prompt clearance to ensure timely funds for dealing with the problem. The CM said that there were records to show that vast infrastructure in certain areas of the state had been destroyed due to prolonged waterlogging. Badal said that as much as three/fourths of the total waterlogging prone area in the state was in Muktsar district with almost 50 per cent of these zones falling under the Lambi assembly segment. PTI