Incessant rain causes misery in several parts of Punjab

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Incessant rain causes misery in several parts of Punjab

Tuesday, 11 July 2023 | PNS | Chandigarh

Rain continues to pour trouble in Punjab for the third consecutive day inundating several areas with SAS Nagar (Mohali), Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Jalandhar Rural, and Patiala being the worst-affected districts.

 

Even as 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two units of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the state’s worst-hit districts, the Army’s help has also been requisitioned in some of the areas, including Patiala, Sangrur. To deal with the “flood situation”, the State Government has released Rs 33.50 crore to all Deputy Commissioners.

 

Punjab Police, along with the teams of NDRF and SDRF, have also scaled up the rescue and evacuation operations in flood-ravaged districts in the state. The teams of NDRF and SDRF are working to plug breaches and carry out evacuation and rescue operations in the affected districts. Additionally, 12 columns of the Army have also been called in to help the Civil Administration in Rupnagar, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, SAS Nagar, and Pathankot districts.

 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who accessed the situation from ground zero in Kharar and Ropar areas on Monday by travelling via road, claimed that though the situation is alarming, it is “under control”.

 

“The situation is alarming but still the State Government is making every effort to minimize the loss of people,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government has declared holidays in all schools till July 13.

 

Also making an appeal to the people to not get panic as situation is completely under control, the Chief Minister declared announced that girdawari will be conducted to ascertain the loss of crop, houses, property, animals, and others.

 

Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Monday chaired a high level meeting with Administrative Secretaries, all Deputy Commissioners, and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to take stock of situation due to continuous rain, besides reviewing the water level in the dams.

 

Verma, in another meeting with the Punjab Government officers, the representatives of the Army and NDRF and Chandigarh Administration, also took stock of the situation arisen due to damaged drinking water pipes at Kajauli Water Works in the wake of continuous rains.

 

Since Sunday, Patiala district has been reeling under a flood-like situation with the local authorities pressing for Army’s help after the water overflowed from the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Rajpura town following a breach.

 

The floodwaters on Monday entered the premises of the Rajpura Thermal Power Plant, leading to the shutdown of one of its 700 MW units. A day before, the floodwaters breached the premises of a private hospital in Rajpura, necessitating the rescue and relocation of patients to other hospitals. Besides, as many as 800 students from a private university in the district were successfully rescued with the assistance of the Army.

 

The water level in various rivers and water channels like Ghaggar, Markanda, Pachisdara, Narvana, Tangri and Patiala was also flowing at dangerous levels. The discharge from these rivers has gone up significantly, raising concerns of a flood threat in nearby villages and areas, said Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney.

 

The authorities are on their toes to take necessary measures to prevent loss of life and property, offering timely relief to the affected people. The impact of the floods was felt throughout the region as many roads were washed away, and the Badi Nadi river approached its danger mark, causing flooding in Gopal Colony and Arai Majari near Patiala city.

 

The state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, along with the state Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, has been personally supervising the situation in the state to ensure an elaborate flood protection mechanism is in place. All the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police have been asked to remain in the field and personally monitor the situation in their concerned districts at regular intervals.

 

“Our teams along with NDRF, SDRF and Army have been working round-the-clock in extremely challenging conditions to safeguard the life and property of the people,” he said.

 

Special DGP Shukla said that the state control room has been actively working 24x7 for flood mitigation and hourly reports are being taken from districts to know the real-time situation in their concerned districts. “Anyone requiring any kind of help can call the 112 helpline number,” he said, while urging the people of the state not to panic and cooperate with the administration and the police.

 

He also appealed to the people, residing in low-lying or flood-prone areas, to move to safer places or relief centres set up by their concerned district administration for their safety.

 

“Punjab Police have also made extensive arrangements including sandbags, tents, lights, langars, and food packets, medicines and ambulances, rescue boats, recovery vans or JCBs, life jackets, communication and public address systems to deal with any kind of exigency arising out of floods. There is no dearth of funds from the State Government,” he added.

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