Badi and Chotti Nadi to Become a Boon, Not a Curse, we will give “fixed deposit” of water for future generations: Dr. Bablir Singh
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ May 18,2025
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh has strongly criticized previous government and political leader who had enjoy powers for merely engaging in rituals concerning Patiala’s flood issues without ever offering a scientific solution.
He remarked that for decades, floods were described as a curse on Patiala, while those in power limited themselves to performing Nath-Chura—without taking any concrete steps. As a result, the public was misled and no long-term protection was ensured.
Dr. Balbir Singh stated that the current Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has launched a comprehensive, scientific project to transform the Badi and Chotti Nadi, once considered a curse, into a boon for future generations. He visited the project site today, accompanied by senior officials from various departments, to review its progress.
The Minister highlighted that Patiala’s residents have endured repeated devastation from floods in the past, particularly during the 1993–94 and 2023 monsoons. He emphasized that these disasters were not purely natural calamities, but largely the result of flawed and negligent policies of previous governments. Now, with a forward-thinking approach in place, a scientific solution is being implemented to safeguard the city.
He explained that the Patiala Ki Rao, which flows from Chandigarh through Mohali and Fatehgarh Sahib before reaching Patiala—joined by several smaller rivulets—will be scientifically managed by constructing approximately 1,000 recharging wells along its course. These wells, each 15 to 30 feet deep and lined with bricks and mesh, will absorb between two to five lakh liters of water each, helping raise the groundwater table. This initiative, he added, will act as a “fixed deposit” of water for future generations.
During his visit, Dr. Balbir Singh instructed officials to develop a permanent solution for water stagnation near Deer Park, which has long caused flooding in surrounding areas such as Urban Estate, Friends Colony, Gobind Nagar, Chinar Bagh, and Tejpal Colony. He stressed the importance of ensuring that water exiting from Daulatpur Head continues to flow with equal capacity near Deer Park to prevent overflow into residential areas.
Reassuring Patiala’s citizens, Dr. Balbir Singh affirmed that the city would no longer suffer—neither from recurring floods nor from those who previously labeled such disasters as divine curses while doing little to resolve them. He said that scientific interventions are now being adopted to deliver a permanent and sustainable solution, storing crores of liters of water underground and securing future water resources.
As part of his visit, the Minister also inspected the Municipal Corporation’s solid waste management plant.
He was accompanied by Municipal Commissioner Paramvir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Isha Singal, PDA ACA Jashanpreet Kaur, DFO Gurmanpreet Singh, XEN Drainage Pratham Gambhir, SE Municipal Corporation Gurpreet Walia, and other senior departmental officials.
