To tackle the emergent situation occurred after the recent surgical strikes on the international borders with Pakistan, the Punjab Government on Sunday constituted a high-level Disaster Management Committee headed by the state Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal.
The newly-constituted Disaster Management Committee, consisting of Additional Chief Secretaries Home, Agriculture, Education, along with the Principal Secretary Health, Secretary PWD B&R, Secretary Irrigation, Public Health, the state Director General of Police (DGP), DGP (law and Order) and IGP (Intelligence), had a video conference with the senior officers of six border districts — Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka to review the latest situation there.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Home Minister Sukhbir Badal are constantly in touch with the minute-to-minute situation in these areas.
Giving details, an official spokesperson of the Punjab government said that villages falling within 10 kms of the international border have been evacuated in which about 60 villages fall in Fazilka district, 300 in Ferozepur, 135 in Tarn Taran, 137 in Amritsar, 290 in Gurdaspur, and 65 in Pathankot.
The districts’ administrations of these districts have also been put on high alert.
Spokesperson said that the government has directed the civil and police officers to be ready and cautious to handle any emergency.
Adding further, spokesperson said that Deputy Commissioners have also been sanctioned ` one crore each to meet out any necessity arising out of the prevailing situation.
They have also been asked to ensure that the relief camps are equipped enough to meet the daily needs of the villagers based there.
Regular meetings have also been convened with the IGP Border Range and other officers to have latest view of the Border areas under evacuation.
Instructions have also been sent to the MlAs and other members of the elected bodies to be stationed there in their respective constituencies and stand by the side of the people in this hour of crisis.
Nearly 1,500 police and PAP jawans have been deployed as the second line of defense in the border areas.
Besides, senior officers have been especially posted to oversee the entire evacuation process besides identifying suitable locations for setting up of more camps, if needed. They have also been told to ensure that the residents being evacuated were not put to any inconvenience.