Ludhiana: As work on the Sidhwan Canal makeover is expected to start soon, it has brought into focus the achievements and future plans of The Times of India’s ‘Save Sidhwan’ campaign. Till now, as part of the campaign, mesh has been installed by various industrial groups and businessmen on eight bridges to stop litterbugs from polluting the water body. Besides, plantation has been done along a few stretches, and garbage dumps have been moved.According to MC officials, in the first phase, the civic body plans to beautify a 1.15-km stretch — from Pakhowal Road to Ferozepur Road behind MC Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar— along its banks. They added that a canal waterfront will be constructed and green spaces landscaped to give residents interactive spaces. Proper lighting will make the stretch walkable and safe. Sustainable water management measures, like rainwater holding swales and pits for groundwater recharge, will be the added features. There will also be separate cycle tracks, pathways, seating arrangements, green belts, parking spaces, toilet blocks, solar panels on rooftop, open gym, sandpit play area, and climbing walls for kids. The Rs5.76 crore project, will be completed in 10 months, and is aimed at saving the Sidhwan Canal.“It is a great thing that the Sidhwan Canal is receiving so much attention after the start of campaign by The Times of India, which was spearheaded by our foundation. We, along with many groups, are working for a clean and green Sidhwan Canal, as it is the only water body that passes through the city,” said Mridula Jain, a prominent industrialist, and chairman of Let’s Clean Ludhiana Foundation. She added that apart from many bridges that have got mesh protection to deter litterbugs from polluting the water body, they are working on a proposal to get the ghat area earmarked for immersing worship material on the canal side, excluding non bio-degradable substances like polythene bags.Meanwhile, a councillor who had been working for the cause, and had got many stretches cleaned in June last year, said they will continue to work for the cause. “We thank The Times of India for ‘Let’s Save Sidhwan’ campaign. This is our dream project, and my husband, cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, had many years ago struggled to get funds allocated for cleaning of the canal, and we continue to work for a clean and green water body,” said Mamta Ashu. She added that the project on the Sidhwan Canal makeover is a step in the right direction, and it is being executed as part of their effort.Meanwhile, many residents want the pristine glory of the canal restored. “We have heard from our elders that Sidhwan water would be clean once, and people would immerse fruits including water melon and mangoes in its cool water, and eat them sitting on its banks. However, pollution has badly affected the canal, and turned its water worse. Even as we want residents not to pollute the water body, which is an asset to the city, we request the authorities to work for its beautification,” said Narinder Singh, a resident of Pakhowal Road.PROGRESS SO FARMesh installed on bridges1. South City Bridge2. Bridge behind PAU3. Ferozepur Road Bridge4. Bridge near BRS Nagar5. Bridge near MC Zone D6. Pakhowal Bridge7. Jawaddi Bridge8. Dugri Bridge (partially done).9. Gill Canal BridgePlantations done1. A canopy of trees at hydel plant near Barewal Bridge in South City. Roughly around 100 trees.2. Plantation of Chandni, Chakrasia, Acacia Gluca, Ficus, Yellow Kaner, and Bottle Palm at about a kilometre stretch from near Pakhowal Road to Dugri Road.3. Dumps shifted from near Gill Bridge and Pakhowal Road. Garbage dump cleared at South City.4. Painting of iron gates near hydel plant close to Barewal Bridge.SOLAR PROJECT ON CANALAs The Times of India’s ‘Let’s Save Sidhwan’ campaign had put the focus on the water body in the city, a solar power plant was commissioned in the middle of the canal near Rajgarh village in 2017. The project, with around 2.5MW power generation capacity, has 8,421 solar modules on pods spread over 1.25km from Rajgarh to Ajnod village downstream on Sidhwan Canal. The project was constructed during the SAD-BJP government’s tenure.AREAS ALONG CANALSouth City, BRS Nagar, Pakhowal Road, Jawaddi, Dugri, Dhuri Line, Gill Road, Shimlapuri, Daba, etcCleaning work:On 26 April 2015, the then irrigation minister Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon had inaugurated the cleaning of Sidhwan Canal at Ferozepur Road after a sustained campaign by The Times of India. The project cost was Rs22 lakh. In June 2018, councillor Mamta Ashu had got the cleaning of the Sidhwan Canal started near Pakhowal Road.Pending work:1. Construction of ghat on canal.2. Mesh work on Dugri Bridge to be completed.3. Shimlapuri Bridge mesh.4. Mesh work of bridge near PAU back gate.5. Landscaping work on many stretches.

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