VB finds anomalies in canal repairs in Ferozepur, raids on

Following reports of anomalies in repair of canals leading from Harike in Ferozepur district, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) raided the Bikaner, Sirhind and Ferozepur feeder sites.

Sources in the VB said they received information about irregularities in repairs that was scheduled to be done between March 25 and April 16. Following this, a VB team led by three SSPs from Bathinda, Ferozepur and Amritsar raided canal sites and interrogated irrigation department officials and contractors.

“The scrutiny of records is on. The officials were scheduled to start the repair work by March 25 but they delayed it to April 7. Our experts from the technical wing are also raiding sites of Bikander, Sirhind and Ferozepur feeders where work is underway,” chief director, VB, BK Uppal told Hindustan Times.

VB officials said how the irrigation department could have completed the repair work in a short span of time as the canals were scheduled to get water by April 17. “Either the department didn’t repair canals or the work was done in haste. Nobody would get to know about the repairs as the canals would be filled with water on April 17,” said an SSP investigating the case.

“We have also questioned the officials of irrigation department and in one such case, an executive engineer told the VB team that tenders were allotted, but the department has no plan to carry out repairs due to paucity of time. Answers of a few Irrigation department officials were not satisfactory and that’s why we zeroed in on repair proposals in detail,” another official added.

Following the leads in the case, the VB director general has marked the probe to IG-rank official Shive Kumar Verma.