Tarn Taran hamlets under water, not a drop to drink

Gurbaxpuri

Chandigarh, August 27

In a duality of fate, residents of at least 19 villages in Tarn Taran district, which were inundated due to a breach along the Sutlej near Ghadum village a week ago, are crying for drinking water.

Reason: The villages have not been getting any power supply due to which the motors of the Water Supply Department are non-functional ever since the floodwaters entered the area.

Resham Singh, a farmer of Kutiwala, said to address the drinking water problem, the Kar Sewa Sect of Sursingh, which had its dera at Harike, had sent water tanks to the affected villages, including those adjoining Muthianwala, the country’s last village near the border with Pakistan.

Besides Ghadum, the other affected villages include Kot Budha, Kutiwala, Sabhra, Dumniwala, Gullewala, Bhura Hathar, Gadiake, Jalloke, Bhauwal, Bangla Rai Ke, Talwandi Sobha Singh, Mahneke Jand, Jodh Singh Wal and Jhugian Kalu.

A senior official said though the breach near Ghadum village was expected to be plugged in a day or two, it would take a while before normal life could be restored. Deputy Commissioner Sandeep kumar said he was looking into the matter.