CHANDIGARH, January 15: Remote sensing conducted by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre in Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district seeks to affirm that the plains in the area have been formed from alluvial deposits. Satellite imagery indicates that the area was traversed by some river which may be Sutlej, as historic evidence says. The evidence for this assumption is also indicated by palaeochannels, as represented by sand dunes in the area.The report was prepared by the Centre for "Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development". It has recommended that the consumptive use of brackish water from tubewells should be encouraged and that underground water needs to be pumped by installing shallow tubewells even in brackish water zone. The study warns that failure to do so would lead to water-logging problems in the area.It also recommends that the Lissara Nallah, which drains the area along the northern boundary of Talwandi Sabo, needs to be provided an outlet into river Ghaggar. The Talwandi Sabo tehsil does not have any river flowing through its area.The project was prepared under the supervision of P.K. Sharma and M.L. Manchanda, and included V.K. Verma and Anil Sood of the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.The report adds that the underground water in most of the area is brackish. The area lacks proper drainage network as there is only one major drain (Lissara Nallah) in the area which cannot drain out the excess water during rainy season. The study has recommended in situ stabilisation of high sand dunes by planting species like Sarkanda, Ber, Pahari Kikar, Kikar, and Sababul among others. Reclamation of salt affected and the waterlogged area has been suggested apart from bringing them under plantation.The release of additional canal water during the months of April and May and the supply of water should be reduced during the months of June to September, it adds. This would result in reducing the insect and pest attack on cotton crop.
