During the ongoing Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan, the UT Administration has initiated the process for cleaning of N-choe in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The higher authorities have planned to put in a mechanism to stop flow of the waste water into N-choe.
Recently, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil had announced to take special measures for cleaning of choe namely Sukhna Choe, Patiala-ki-Rao and N-Choe in Chandigarh.
The N-Choe flows through the leisure Valley and after passing through various sectors, it enters Mohali. Over the years, the N-choe has become an eyesore — a stinking drain littered with garbage at various locations. Also, there have been reports of inflow of sewerage into these choes.
For the cleaning of N-choe, the UT Administration has planned laying of sewer lines, gravity sewer and construction of pump chamber near Sector 52 and 53.
A senior official of the UT Administration said that the cleaning of N-choe will be done on priority basis. The higher authorities have already floated tenders for the whole process.
Notably, the UT Master Plan has recommended that 300 metres of land, if available, on the sides of demarcated choe beds, should be declared as eco-sensitive zones under the Environmental Protection Act. Also, the activities considered detrimental to their ecological functions should be prohibited or regulated.