Over 1,000 villages in floods, affected; state minister blames Centre for worst deluge in 37 years

Over 1,000 villages, maximum in Gurdaspur district, and over 61,000 hectares of farmland have been affected by floods in Punjab even as relief and rescue operations gained momentum. While the opposition parties alleged that the people of Punjab were suffering due to the "incompetence" of the AAP government, state water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal claimed that the timely release of water by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which is under the Centre, in June could have significantly reduced the devastation. Some of the opposition party leaders wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a special relief package for the border state. Punjab is under the grip of massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

While NDRF, Army, BSF, Punjab Police and district authorities carried out rescue and relief efforts on a war footing in the flood-affected areas, several casualties are feared in the deluge. However, there was no official word on the loss of lives. Villages worst-affected by the floods were in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts. A total of 11,330 people have been evacuated so far to safer places from the flood-hit areas with the combined efforts of the NDRF, Army, BSF and the district authorities.

Several ministers and MLAs were visiting areas ravaged by floods and were taking stock of relief and rescue measures. State water resources minister Goyal lashed out at the Centre, holding it responsible for the worst flood in the last 37 years. Goyal claimed that the timely release of water by the BBMB in June could have significantly reduced the devastation. The minister said that even as lakhs of people in Punjab continue to suffer, the prime minister has "not made a single statement on the crisis, let alone extend any support to the state. He said despite repeated requests, the BBMB "failed" to release adequate water from the dams in June, which could have helped mitigate the impact of floods in Punjab. The water resources minister also slammed the BJP government in Haryana. While the neighbouring state, on one hand, sends letters offering help, on the other, it has also communicated that "Punjab be left to drown" by reducing Haryana's share of water flow during this monsoon from 7,900 cusecs to 6,250 cusecs to protect its canal systems and population, thereby leaving Punjab to its fate, he said.

State Chief Secretary K A P Sinha on Saturday visited the Pong dam on Beas and flood-affected areas in Mukerian subdivision in Hoshiarpur to review the relief and rescue measures. He later also visited Makora Pattan in the Gurdaspur district. Accompanied by senior officials, the chief secretary inspected the dam, where he directed officials to regulate water discharge strictly on technical parameters, keeping in view the inflow, to minimise hardships for people in the downstream areas. He also asked them to remain vigilant and maintain round-the-clock monitoring. Officials said floods have so far affected 1,018 villages in the state. These include 81 in Pathankot, 52 in Fazilka, 45 in Tarn Taran, 64 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, 22 in Sangrur, 101 in Ferozepur, 107 in Kapurthala, 323 in Gurdaspur, 85 in Hoshiarpur, and 35 in Moga, they said. The state has also suffered huge financial losses due to crop damage and livestock loss.

According to reports from district headquarters, 16,632 hectares of farm land have been affected in Fazilka, 10,806 hectares in Ferozepur, 11,620 hectares in Kapurthala, 7,000 hectares in Pathankot, 9,928 hectares in Tarn Taran, and 5,287 hectares in Hoshiarpur. A total of 11,330 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit districts. These include 2,819 from Ferozepur, 1,052 from Hoshiarpur, 240 from Kapurthala, 4,771 from Gurdaspur, 24 from Moga, 1,100 from Pathankot, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1,239 from Fazilka, they said. As many as 4,711 flood-affected people were evacuated and shifted to safer places during the past 24 hours, they further said. These include 812 residents of Ferozepur, 2,571 from Gurdaspur, 4 from Moga, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1,239 from Fazilka.

Currently, 77 relief camps are fully operational out of 87 set up in flood-affected areas, providing shelter to 4,729 people. The administration is taking care of all the essential needs of these people, said the officials. In Kapurthala, 110 people are staying in four camps; in Ferozepur, 3,450 people are housed in eight camps; Hoshiarpur has 20 camps with 478 people; Gurdaspur has 12 active camps with 255 people; Pathankot has 14 camps with 411 people; Barnala has one camp housing 25 people; Fazilka has 11 camps, Moga has five and Amritsar has two. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, former chief minister Amarinder Singh and senior Congress leader Sukhbir Singh Badal urged PM Modi to announce a special relief package for Punjab. The Punjab State IAS Officers' Association and the Punjab Civil Service Officers' Association have expressed solidarity with the people affected by the recent floods in Punjab. As a gesture of support, both associations resolved to contribute one day's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to aid ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Meanwhile, Punjabi singers and artists came forward to offer assistance to the flood-hit people in the hour of crisis. Famous singer and actor Satinder Sartaaj provided a one-month ration for 500 flood-hit families in Ajnala in Amritsar, said officials. Another singer, Jasbir Jassi, also announced a donation of relief material for the flood-affected people.