Several villages near the India-Pakistan border were affected after the water level in Ujh and Ravi rivers and rivulets rose following heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh since Saturday night, said officials on Sunday. A 30-40 feet long stretch of a road near the Jalalian drain was washed away, disrupting the movement of traffic, they said, adding that the repair work would be carried out after the water recedes. Punjab Cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Sunday visited the affected areas to take stock of the situation and assured the people that the state government would give compensation for any loss. Because of heavy flow of water in the Ujh, Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets, the situation in villages along the Indo-Pak border was grim. Kataruchak said due to the heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab since last night, the villages along the India-Pakistan border have been affected. The crops of farmers have also been hit. He further said many villages in the Bamial area have been affected due to the breach of the Jalalian bridge. The minister also said the road from Dinanagar to Bamiyal via Kohlia has also been affected due to incessant rains. Kataruchak said the state government will provide compensation for any crop damage. The minister visited the areas near the Ravi, Ujh rivers, Jalalian drain and other flood affected areas.
Meanwhile, heavy rain in the catchment area of Chakki Khad, a tributary of the Beas river, led to a surge of water into the river, causing it to overflow its embankments and inundate farmland and low-lying areas in several villages of Mukerian subdivision of Hoshiarpur district. Sukhpreet Singh, Sub Divisional Officer (Drainage and Mining), Mukerian, said the Chakki Khad at Chakki-Mirthal gauge was bringing in nearly 1.34 lakh cusecs of water into the Beas. At Naushera-Mirthal gauge, the flow was recorded at 1.04 lakh cusecs, while the Beas in Mukerian subdivision was carrying around 2.5 lakh cusecs.
Officials said 59,900 cusecs of water was released from the Pong dam on Sunday morning but the flow was later reduced to 23,700 cusecs by evening. The inflow into the dam was around 1.30 lakh cusecs, and its water level reached 1,382.50 feet. They said water from the Beas river entered agricultural fields near the villages of Motla, Halerjanardhan, Sanial, Kolian and Mehtabpur, and also reached close to some residential localities. Mukerian Sub Divisional Magistrate Ankur Mohindru said the water level in Chakki Khad rose sharply due to continuous heavy rainfall in the catchment area since Saturday night. "The river water has entered agricultural fields and some roads in nearby villages. However, it has not entered any residential houses so far, though it has reached close to certain localities," the SDM said. He added that the situation was expected to improve within the next few hours as water levels begin to recede.
The administration has launched relief measures and is carrying out evacuation where required. "Some families are also shifting to safer places and to their relatives on their own," he said, adding that the situation was under control. Meanwhile, crops including paddy, sugarcane in low-lying farmland of the Tanda region, including Gandowal, Rara Mand, Talhi, Abdullapur, Mewa Miani and Fatta Kulla villages, remained inundated, causing concern among farmers. Meanwhile, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal stated that the administration is continuously monitoring the water levels in the Beas river and urged people in the Mand area to exercise caution due to the rising water levels caused by heavy rainfall in the upper hilly regions. Panchal noted that due to heavy rainfall in the upper hilly areas, the water level in the Beas River has been rising, and residents in low-lying areas of the Mand region should remain vigilant. He assured that the district administration is fully prepared and has made robust arrangements to handle any adverse situations. He emphasized that there is no need for people to panic.
For the protection of life and property, State Disaster Response Force teams have already been deployed. Additionally, teams are in place to ensure the health of people and livestock. He further informed that relief centers have been set up at the Government School in Lakh Warian, Sultanpur Lodhi, and at Mand Kuka for the residents of the Mand area in Dhilwan. These centers have adequate arrangements for accommodation, food, medicines, and other essentials for the affected people, he said.