Punjab Government on Monday declared the current flood situation in the affected villages of the state as a natural calamity, with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh directing the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to issue the necessary notification at the earliest.
Capt Amarinder has asked FCR to officially declare a natural calamity with the village as a unit, in order to facilitate the affected people to claim insurance against loss from various companies. This would also help the banks, especially the state cooperative banks, to restructure and defer the recovery of crop loans from farmers, as per the norms of Reserve Bank of India.
The Chief Minister, chairing a high level meeting to review the flood preparedness in the state, asked the Finance Department to immediately clear the pending relief funds to the tune of around Rs 100 crore, in respect of the previous crops or harvests, for expeditious disbursement by the Revenue Department, through the respective Deputy Commissioner.
Capt Amarinder also directed all the Deputy Commissioners, in close coordination with Police, NDRF, SDRF and all other State Government Departments and entities, to closely monitor the situation with a view to providing not only expeditious rescue and relief operation but also to take pro-active preventive measures.
Compensation as per the prescribed norms should be disbursed expeditiously in case of death, to the next of kin forthwith, the Chief Minister directed, while also ordering temporary subsistence allowance to the migrant labour, who may otherwise not be covered in the existing relief norms of the State Policy, to be paid out of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Capt Amarinder also ordered the Drainage Department to immediately plug the breaches, with the help of the Army if needed, while asking all DCs to remain on high alert in case of additional release from the flood-gates of the dams.
It was also decided at the meeting that the Chief Minister Secretariat as well as Chief Secretary would maintain close liaison with the office of the Army Commander, Western Command, Chandimandir, and pro-actively apprise them of the nature and quantum of Army assistance required. The respective Deputy Commissioners shall make the formal request at their level, as and when the situation so warrants.
The Chief Minister asked the Canal Administration and the Draining Wings of the Irrigation or Water Resources Department to work closely together to ensure that the water released into the canals and rivers are optimally balanced.
In case of Ranjit Sagar Dam on River Ravi, the operation and management of which is with the State Water Resources or Irrigation Department and Powercom, the situation shall be closely monitored so that the appropriate measures to release water can be taken, while widely disseminating the information well in advance as to when the flood-gates are going to be opened.
Capt Amarinder has also directed various Departments, including Health and Animal Husbandry, to continue to provide emergency medicines and animal fodder in the affected villages.
OPPOSITION TAKES ON GOVT
Opposition parties in Punjab have come down heavily on the Congress-led Punjab Government on Monday blaming it for the suffering being faced by the people of the state following incessant rainfall since past three days.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has demanded an appropriate compensation package, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded immediate ‘girdawari’ and 100 percent compensation to the victims.
SAD president Sukhbir Badal appealed to the Akali rank and cadre to fan out in flood affected areas to provide immediate succor to the people. At the same time, he asked the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to direct the administration to provide immediate compensation to the flood victims.
Sukhbir, addressing public meetings in Ferozepur parliamentary segment, said that he had received reports that the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) had done commendable work in flood affected villages in Nawanshahr and Ropar besides others parts of the State. “I urge the Akali cadre to intensify this stir to provide all possible help to our flood-stricken brethren”, he added.
SAD’s senior leader and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said that an appropriate compensation package, reflecting the enormity of the calamity which had befallen farmers of Punjab due to rampant flooding in several districts of the State, be given.
“It is unfortunate the Congress Government is following a piecemeal approach...The relief announced by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is completely inadequate to deal with the damage caused by flooding due to intense rains since the last three days,” said Cheema.
He pointed that around 20 villages in Ropar had suffered extensive damage with paddy crop being destroyed even as flood waters entered entire villages. “Flood waters have entered houses destroying furniture and weakening walls which have developed cracks. Besides, food grains stored in houses have been destroyed,” he said.
Calling for emergent steps to provide relief to the people including an interim package, Cheema said that special allocation should be made to repair road and the administration should take steps to provide green fodder to affected villages.
CAPT ANNOUNCES RS 100 CR FOR FLOOD HIT AREAS
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday announced Rs 100 crore for emergency relief and rehabilitation measures in the flood-hit regions of the state. At the same time, he said that a special girdawari will be conducted as soon as the water level recedes to ensure adequate compensation for the affected farmers.
The Chief Minister made these announcements during a tour of the flood-affected areas of Rupnagar, where he evaluated the damage caused by the torrential rains of the past 72 hours and met the people who had suffered damage as a result of the flooding. He also faced protests by the locals.
Captain Amarinder also expressed grief over the death of three persons due to roof collapse in Ludhiana district.
The Chief Minister, later, reviewed the overall flood situation in the state with senior officials.
He was informed by the Chief Engineer Drainage that the overall situation in the rivers Beas and Ravi was under control though danger continued to lurk in areas adjacent to the Satluj river and further downstream, at Harike Headworks in Ferozepur.
The flood releases from the Bakhra dam was above its maintainable level, flowing currently at 1681.23 feet, the meeting was informed.
The Chief Minister, who earlier travelled by road from Chandigarh to Rupnagar, described the situation as unprecedented, and assured of all possible assistance from his Government to the local residents.
He was briefed by the local officials on the damaged caused to the standing crops, houses, public installations and livestock due to heavy discharge of water from the catchment area of Bhakra dam.
Interacting with IIT students displaced due to heavy flooding on their campus, Capt Amarinder directed the State Administration to ensure their boarding and lodging arrangements in Punjab Bhawan and Kissan Bhawan at Chandigarh till their return.
Acceding to a request from the IIT Director, he asked his Chief Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar to work out a strategy to ensure foolproof and efficient drainage system to avert recurrence of flooding incidents in the campus.
Reviewing the ground situation at Shampura village after visiting Rupnagar Head Works, the Chief Minister met slum dwellers in the area and directed the district administration to extend all necessary help to the affected families. He also asked the Deputy Commissioner to keep a tab over the situation till the situation normalises.
The Chief Minister instructed the district officials to organize health camps in cooperation with the Health Department to prevent outbreak of any water borne diseases in the wake of the floods.
He also asked the Animal Husbandry Department to provide veterinary health services to the needy, and to make necessary arrangements to ensure supply of feed and fodder.
Wading through a flooded road at Khairabad village, the Chief Minister also gave a patient hearing to the locals’ grievances and assured them of prompt redressal.
Earlier, on his arrival, the Deputy Commissioner Sumit Jarangal apprised the Chief Minister that due to heavy downpour on Sunday, the total release at Ropar Head Works was 2,50,000 cusecs, in addition to unprecedented increase in flow in many rivulets like Swan Nadi (90,000 cusecs), Sirsa Nadi (60,000 cusecs), Budhki Nadi (20,000 cusecs).
The DC said that the district administration, with the help of Police, NDRF and NGOs, was able to rescue more than 600 families from 45 villages. There had been no reports of human life but there was significant loss of crops and cattle which was being assessed, he added.