4 ministers deputed to oversee relief ops

CHANDIGARH: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today deputed four ministers to oversee the relief operations in the flood-ravaged districts of Ropar, Jalandhar and Kapurthala, and directed the officials concerned to expedite the restoration of power supply in the affected areas.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today deputed four ministers to oversee the relief operations in the flood-ravaged districts of Ropar, Jalandhar and Kapurthala, and directed the officials concerned to expedite the restoration of power supply in the affected areas.

Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Industries and Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora will monitor the relief work in Ropar district, Revenue Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Food & Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu have been sent to Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts.

The CM asked Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa as well as Powercom chairman to visit the flood-hit areas. All IPS officers of the Punjab cadre have unanimously decided to contribute a day’s salary each to the CM Flood Relief Fund, according to DGP Dinkar Gupta.

Earlier, the Kapurhala DC informed the CM that of the 82 flood-hit villages in the district, 20 were inundated. A dedicated team comprising a MBBS doctor, along with staff and requisite medical kits, has been pressed into service.

Amarinder was apprised by the Jalandhar DC that the drainage wing of the Water Resources Department had been asked to complete the work of plugging the 350-foot breach at Meowal village in Phillaur by Saturday.

The Ropar DC also apprised the CM about the relief works in the affected areas. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh visited the flood-hit areas and interacted with locals. He asked the Ropar DC to ensure adequate supply of fodder, besides providing the best medical assistance.

Release Rs 474 crore: Harsimrat to govt

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday asked the Congress government to release Rs 474 cr allocated to it for disaster management.
She slammed the state government for poor preparedness to meet the flood situation and for “indifference towards the affected people”.
She distributed relief material donated by various food processing companies Phillaur and Sultanpur Lodhi villages.