Fortify banks along Pakistan border to stop floods: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday asked the Water Resources Department to work out a joint action plan to strengthen the embankment along the Indo-Pak border to avert the flooding of nearby villages.

Responding to the Chief Minister's request, the Union Home Ministry has decided to send a central team to assess the damage and loss caused by the floods in the state.

Presiding over a high-level meeting to review the flood situation in Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Ropar districts, the Chief Minister directed the Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, to ensure strengthening of the Tendiwala embankment in Ferozepur district along the Pakistan border.

The Chief Minister also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur to keep National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on standby to meet any exigency arising out of the floods.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur, in 15 flood-affected villages in Makhu and Hussaniwala areas, nearly 500 persons have been evacuated and 630 have been given necessary medical aid.

In addition, nearly 950 food packets have been distributed to the people, and adequate arrangements have been made for supply of feed and fodder to the livestock.

The Deputy Commissioner told the meeting that the strengthening work at Tendiwala village was going on in full swing and the Army was assisting in fixing the rift on the embankment.

Amarinder Singh asked the Deputy Commissioner to keep a close tab on the ongoing strengthening work to ensure its completion at the earliest.

While reviewing the progress of relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken in Jalandhar, the Chief Minister was informed that 389 families with 1,690 members in the flood-hit villages have been attended to.

Another 655 patients were being treated at the OPDs.

About 4,600 persons have so far visited the medical camps in the flood-affected areas. As many as 31 persons have been evacuated to the nearby relief camps.

With the help of local residents and religious and social organisations, two major breaches in the Satluj river in Jalandhar district have been plugged at Mau Sahib and Meowal villages, whereas work on other breaches at Powahari Sailkiana in Phillaur and Jania Chahal in Shahkot was nearing completion.

With regard to Kapurthala district, the Chief Minister was apprised that there was no loss of human life and cattle and the district administration had constituted 20 village-wise flood relief teams.

A total of 1,415 persons were given requisite treatment, while veterinary care has been provided to 640 cattle in Kapurthala.

In Ropar district, the water levels in the flooded fields of the district have by and large receded.

Nearly 500 persons have been evacuated, and supply of drinking water and power supply has been restored. About 3,300 persons have been provided medical aid in 13 permanent and 22 mobile medical camps.

The Chief Minister has already written to the Prime Minister seeking a special package of Rs 1,000 crore to address the losses resulting from the floods.

According to preliminary estimates, the state has suffered a damage of Rs 1,700 crore.