Several NGOs, Sikh organisations and government agencies are working together in Punjab’s flood-affected districts where swollen rivers have displaced thousands of people.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir has led to massive flooding in Punjab, with the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal rivulets, submerging villages in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar.
Residents report water levels of up to six feet, forcing families to sleep on rooftops and even shift their cattle there. Damage to beds, mattresses, electronics and livestock has deepened the distress.
Relief from community groups
Volunteers from organisations such as Baba Deep Singh Sewa Dal Garhdiwala moved into inundated villages with boats.
“We have eight boats which have been deployed for providing relief material and evacuating those who are stranded in the swamped areas,” said Manjot Singh, who was in Ferozepur.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has set up relief camps.
On Saturday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami visited villages in Ramdas and Dera Baba Nanak and sent consignments of wheat flour, pulses, drinking water and other essentials.
Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj appealed to Punjabis and Sikh organisations to “extend help to the flood-affected people in the state”.
In Hoshiarpur, the district administration along with the Red Cross Society and several NGOs launched the Charda Suraj campaign, reaching over 1,200 affected individuals with langar services, fodder for cattle and supplies.
Government measures
The Punjab government has extended the closure of schools until September 3. Education minister Harjot Singh Bains urged parents and students to “prioritise safety and comply with the instructions issued by the administration.”
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the release of Rs 60,000 crore that he says are “stuck” with the Centre.
He sought revisions in the State Disaster Response Fund norms, arguing that the current relief rate of Rs 6,800 per acre is “a cruel joke with the farmers.”
He asked for compensation of at least Rs 50,000 per acre, noting that three lakh acres of farmland, mostly paddy, remain submerged.
Army and agencies in action
The Western Command of the Indian Army has mobilised 47 columns, including aviation and engineering resources, to support relief operations in Punjab and Jammu.
Twenty aircraft, including Advanced Light Helicopters, Mi-17s and a Chinook, have been deployed.
Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, Army Commander, Western Command, reviewed the operations and praised the coordination with state agencies, police and civil authorities.
“The singular aim is mitigating the impact of floods and restoring normalcy at the earliest,” the Army said.
Teams from NDRF, BSF, Punjab Police and district authorities are continuing evacuation and relief on a war footing.
Political reactions
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring blamed the government for “mismanagement of dams and water headworks.”
He said, “Why was the water not released (from the dams) gradually in advance, so that the dams could later hold the extra water?” and called the collapse of two floodgates at the Madhopur headworks an outcome of poor maintenance.
More rain expected
The meteorological department has predicted more rain in Punjab till September 3. On Sunday, Amritsar recorded 60.9 mm of rainfall, Bathinda 62 mm and Ferozepur 46 mm.
An alert has been issued in Kapurthala, where the Beas river has swelled to 2.35 lakh cusecs.