Punjab floods: 43 dead, over 1,900 villages affected; Central teams visit state
Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said that 21,929 people have been evacuated from marooned areas so far, and 196 relief camps have been set up across the state, where 7,108 affected people have taken shelter
There was relief from incessant rains for the people of Punjab after over 1,900 villages were affected due to floods, and 43 lives were lost.
Punjab Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said that rainfall had subsided in the upper hilly regions of the state.
Citing reports from districts, he also said that there was no further rise in the affected population, although some areas of farmland remained submerged, adding that no fresh loss of human life was reported either.
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Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring along with former state chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and party leader Bhupesh Baghel address a press conference regarding the flood situation in the state, in Amritsar. Photo: PTI
43 people died in rain-related incidents
On Friday (September 5), Mundian briefed the media on how this monsoon had ravaged human lives and agriculture across the state. Still, many areas in the flood-hit regions were submerged in water, and Mundian assured that steps were taken to ensure people get all the necessary help.
According to him, during this monsoon, 43 people died in 14 districts, from August 1 to September 4.
Mundian said, 21,929 people have been evacuated from marooned areas so far, and 196 relief camps have been set up across the state where 7,108 affected people have taken shelter. Of them, 2,548 people shifted to camps in Fazilka, followed by Hoshiarpur (1,041), Ferozepur (776) and Pathankot (693).
While announcing the details of damage, other than human lives, he mentioned that 1.72 lakh hectares of farmland have been damaged across 18 districts. Mundian said, 1,948 villages in 22 districts have been impacted, affecting a population of 3,84,322.
He said relief and rescue operations were underway in the flood-hit areas to ensure people do not face further problems.
Also Read: 55 families rescued from flood-hit Ghaziabad villages; Yamuna embankment being monitored
Flood-affected villagers gather to collect relief materials, at Talwandi Rai Dadu village of Ajnala, in Amritsar district. Photo: PTI
Central teams visit state
Central teams visited the state to assess the situation. A team visited areas of Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district. The members of the team went by boat and interacted with the affected families at Baupur and Sangra. They also inspected the government school in Baupur. The central teams will submit a report to the Union government.
Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal gave detailed information to the central team about the damage caused by the floods in the district.
After this, the central team held a meeting with officials at the rest house in Kapurthala and during the deliberations, team received information about the damage from the representatives of various departments, including revenue, electricity board, animal husbandry, education and agriculture.
Meanwhile, another central team also visited various flood-affected areas in Ferozepur district. The team interacted with the district administration and local residents to review the situation. They carried out spot inspections in different villages to evaluate crop loss, damage to infrastructure and the relief measures being undertaken.
Also Read: Over 7,500 evacuated as Yamuna floods Delhi’s low-lying areas
Commuters make their way through a flooded area, at Talwandi Rai Dadu village of Ajnala. Photo: PTI
Special care given to elderly persons
According to an official statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has undertaken special measures to ensure the safety and welfare of the elderly during the devastation caused by floods across Punjab. The Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development has identified 479 elderly persons from the flood-affected areas.
"With the support of the district administrations and the Red Cross Society, assistance was being extended to them," said Baljit Kaur, Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development.
She said old-age homes across the state have the capacity to accommodate around 700 elderly persons, and any needy senior citizen can take shelter in these facilities.
Also Read: Himachal Pradesh: IMD issues red alert, warns of extreme heavy rain
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia with others during an inspection of an area inundated with floodwater of the swollen Ravi river. (@AAPPunjab/X via PTI Photo)
A temple partially damaged in rain
Meanwhile, state Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains took swift action on Friday to protect the ancient Lakshmi Narayan temple in Nangal after it was partially damaged due to the strong currents of the Sutlej river.
Bains, along with volunteers, local youngsters and officials, has been reinforcing the temple's premises with revetment to prevent further damage. He said efforts were also being made to allocate Rs 1.27 crore for permanent reinforcement of the temple premises through the Nagar Council, Nangal.
"We are committed to protecting our cultural and religious heritage from the disaster and supporting those affected by the deluge. With collective efforts, we will overcome this challenge and restore normalcy," said Bains, who has been overseeing the relief-and-rescue efforts in the flood-affected villages and towns of the Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency.