Punjab News Daily
Amritsar, October 5

With the objective of providing clean and potable drinking water to people living in the rural areas of the border district of Amritsar, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Monday inaugurated the Canal Water-Based Multi-Village Water Supply Scheme at Kandowali and Majupura. MLA from Ajnala Assembly constituency Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Administrative Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Ramveer, IAS, Talbir Singh Gill from Majitha constituency, Sonia Mann from Rajasansi constituency, along with other officials, were also present on the occasion.

Congratulating the people on the commencement of the project, the Cabinet Minister said that under the Canal Water-Based Multi-Village Water Supply Scheme, a 39 MLD-capacity Water Treatment Plant has been established at Kandowali & Majupura on the Lahore Branch of the Upper Bari Doab Canal for treating canal water and making it fit for drinking. Besides, a 285.97-kilometre-long pipeline network is being laid, while 20 water storage tanks are also to be constructed in the villages.

He said that ₹266.95 crore is being spent on the project and that the scheme will cover 167 villages falling under Ajnala, Majitha, Harsha Chhina and Chogawan blocks. He said that the scheme covers 101 villages in Ajnala block, 56 in Harsha Chhina, 9 in Majitha and 1 village in Chogawan. The treated water will be supplied to the respective villages through the pipeline network. The Cabinet Minister said that the scheme aims to provide clean drinking water to approximately 45,343 households, benefiting 2,65,994 rural residents.

Hardeep Singh Mundian said that the main objective of the project is to reduce dependence on groundwater and provide people with clean, pure and safe drinking water based on canal water. He said that in some villages of the area, the quality of groundwater had become a concern due to increased levels of elements such as TDS and arsenic, resulting in drinking water-related problems. Keeping this in view, the project has been undertaken to provide clean and pure drinking water to the people.

He said that the work on the project commenced on November 10, 2020, and after completion of the scheme, its operation and maintenance will be carried out by the concerned agency for a period of 10 years.

Minister said that besides providing clean drinking water to the rural population, the project will play an important role in reducing water-related health problems and improving the overall quality of life of the people. With the availability of canal water, villagers will have access to safe drinking water, creating a strong foundation for a healthier and better quality of life. He reiterated that the Punjab Government is committed to providing clean and pure drinking water to the people of the state. Before the inauguration, the Cabinet Minister also reviewed the overall functioning and arrangements of the project.