FEROZEPUR: Due to illegal encroachments in the area of about 47 km of river Sutlej from Harike Pattan to Hussainiwala Head Works, many border villages of Ferozepur come under the threat of floods every year.Three years back, when this matter reached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the then Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur had also summoned a report from the Patwaris in this regard, but even after three years neither any report has been submitted nor has any action been taken to remove the encroachments from the river, resulting in floods in the catchments area every year due to negligence of the concerned department and the administration.There has been a long-standing opposition to the release of Punjab’s water to Rajasthan as the people of Punjab have been demanding it to stop looting of their waters. Surprisingly, it is not only the water which has been looted by the neighboring states, the land of the river Sutlej is also being looted by encroaching the dry bed of the river for the farming purpose by politically influential persons, reportedly in connivance with the government officials.The river is about 47 km from the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers built on the Harike headworks to Hussainiwala. But this river coming in this part of Punjab is completely dry as the backwater in the Sutlej river is blocked only at the Harike headworks to facilitate its flow released in the canals going to Rajasthan.With the 47 km long area of the river remaining dry most of the time, the influential farmers have illegally encroached upon this dry bed land with the connivance of the authorities. Not only they have started farming and other related activities but they also installed electric motors by boring in the ground of the river to irrigate their fields. These farmers have prepared fields by pouring soil into the river according to their needs.Due to this, when the water in Harike increases during the rainy season, water is released according to the area of the river, but due to the lack of a path in the river and illegal encroachment on river land, the water becomes a cause of flooding towards the border villages.Following a story on the issue by TOI on December 11, 2022 the matter was taken up by the National Green Tribunal and a report was sought from the then Deputy Commissioner Amrit Singh who further asked the concerned Patwari to present a detailed report but after his transfer from Ferozepur on January 17, 2023, the report has not yet reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office till date.When the then authorities appeared unable to take action in this matter, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took cognizance of it. As the state government officials did not have any response during the appearance before the NGT, the officials were slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 by the Tribunal. Despite this, the attitude of the Punjab government officials remained evasive.With the onset of rains in the hills and the rising water level in the Harike headworks, the villagers living along the embankment area of the river, fearing floods, have once again approached the deputy commissioner, who, sensing the gravity of the issue, has ordered an investigation.When contacted, Deepshikha Sharma, Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner, said that this matter was not in her notice earlier as it was pending since 2022. Now, as soon as she received information about this, she has constituted a three-member investigation team, under the leadership of the SE of the Canal Department, who will submit a detailed report within seven days.