Independent agency to inspect river project: Himachal CM

The ongoing Swan river channelisation project might be inspected by some independent agency for assessing the quality of work, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said Friday.

"The channelisation work of Swan and its tributaries may be inspected by some independent agency either on the analogy of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna or by the Quality Council of India," he said.

Presiding over the review meeting of the project here, the chief minister said the work should not be carried out in patches, and quality should be maintained.

"The fourth phase costing Rs.922.49 crore has been sanctioned by the government," the chief minister said, adding it would reclaim 7163.50 hectares of land for irrigational purposes.

The fourth phase is targeted to be completed by March 2015.

The river channelisation project aims to regenerate forests, protect farmlands from flooding and reduce soil erosion mainly in Una district, bordering Punjab.