Chandigarh, August 19: Construction of a dam on the Ujh River is vital to safeguard Ajnala and neighboring border belts from devastating annual flood waters, stated Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal during a high-level meeting at Raj Bhavan.
Leading a delegation of local constituency representatives—including sarpanches, chairmen, and Zila Parishad members—the Ajnala legislator urged Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to take up the long-pending flood mitigation proposal with the Central Government.
The Ujh River, originating in Jammu and Kashmir, passes through Pathankot, Sujanpur, Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, and Dera Baba Nanak before inundating Ajnala and flowing onward into Pakistan. The recurring inundation destroys standing crops, damages connectivity infrastructure, collapses school buildings, and washes away fertile topsoil, while simultaneously discouraging industrial investment in the border area.
The MLA maintained that the proposed Ujh Dam project has remained stalled at the central level for over a decade. He noted that completing the facility would offer a permanent solution to flood threats, generate hydroelectric power, expand irrigation canals, and create local employment opportunities.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal declared that comprehensive national development under the ‘Developed India’ vision cannot succeed while border districts remain neglected. He also reminded the authority regarding the pending distribution of the ₹1,600 crore relief compensation previously announced by the Prime Minister.
The Governor assured the delegation of prompt assistance, agreeing to facilitate a formal meeting between the constituency representatives and the Union Minister for Jal Shakti to resolve the long-standing infrastructure demand.
