Sutlej’s fury abates at Sabhra village

Tarn Taran, August 6

The situation at the Sabhra village dhussi bundh where on the night of July 27 a critical situation had arisen when the Sutlej river started changing its course is now returning back to normal. The surging floodwaters threatened farmers in the area and the district administration. The whirlpools in the Sutlej were damaging embankments by reversing the water flow leading to breaches and flooding of thousands of acres and destroying of crops.

Jasbir Singh, who is a resident of Sabhra village, said on Sunday hundreds of farmers and followers of the Kar Sewa sect, who were working voluntarily to strengthen the embankments, returned except for a few who stayed back to keep watch on their machinery placed on the spot. Jasbir Singh said the river was flowing on its previous course and there was no trouble now. The river was flowing at its normal speed except for the whirlpool.

The officials of the Irrigation Department said that the banks of the river were to be strengthened by placing heavy stones meshed in iron wires. The stones had reached the site near the river.

Baba Sukha Singh, head of Kar Sewa sect, Sarhali Sahib, worked round-the-clock for flood prevention. Baba said that he worked for the welfare of the people as it was a noble cause.