The work to clear the Kanjli wetland here from hyacinth and underwater vegetation commenced on Friday by environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal and his associates.

The Kanjli wetland has failed to attract migratory birds from Siberia over the last three years as it was covered in hyacinth and wild vegetation.

Seechewal, aided by his associates, decided to take up the initiative to clean the wetland, from where the Kali Bein river passes.

Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Chairman K S Pannu, Deputy Commissioner Mohd Tayyab and Seechewal inspected the ongoing work in the rivulet. Pannu and Tayyab lauded the efforts made by Seechewal.

Pannu, who is also the coordinator of Holy Bein project, directed the DC to develop Kanjli wetland as a tourist attraction. Speaking to mediapersons, Pannu said the wetland would be cleared of the hyacinth, and water sports would be introduced in the rivulet.

later, the PPCB chairman reviewed the progress of the Holy Bein project at the Yojna Bhawan here and directed district officers to stop the discharge of sewage water into the rivulet.

Seechewal demanded that fresh water flow into the rivulet from the Mukerian Hydel channel be increased to 350 cusecs to overcome the problem of hyacinth.

Pannu directed the drainage department to increase the flow at the earliest.

Pannu claimed that of the 74 villages, 50 villages falling in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts have stopped putting sewage water in bein while the work on the remaining villages and some suburban towns was going on at  war footing to stop the flow of dirty water in bein.

The holy kali bein which traverses a distance of more than 160 kilometre in a zig zag way is considered as a back bone of Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts as it raised the water table of both the districts.