Capt Amarinder earmarks Rs 100 cr for flood relief

Tribune News Service
Rupnagar, August 19

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced on Monday that his government would earmark Rs 100 crore for flood relief, as reports of large-scale damage to property continues to trickle in from the various parts of the state.

A press statement from the Punjab government quoted the chief minister, who was on a visit to flood-hit areas of Ropar, as saying that the administration would conduct a special girdwari, or a crop inspection, to assess the crop damage because of the flood.

Captain Amarinder also expressed grief over the death of three people due to roof collapse in Ludhiana district, the statement said.

The press statement quoted the chief minister as describing the situation as “unprecedented” and promising all possible assistance to local residents to rebuild their lives.

Ropar is one of the worst hit districts of the state: as waters of Sutlej and its tributaries, Budhki and Sarsa, swelled, district administration ordered evacuation of some 35 villages on Monday. Water released from Bhakra dam added to the chaos.  

Punjab’s Chief Engineer Drainage told Captain Amarinder that the flood situation in Punjab mostly was under control, although areas along Satluj continue to be under some threat of flood.   

The chief minister also spoke to students of Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, who were moved out of the campus because of the flood. He later asked the state administration to ensure that they were given boarding and lodging at the Punjab Bhawan and Kissan Bhawan at Chandigarh until they could return.

The chief minister also went to Shampura village, where he met slum dwellers and asked the district administration to extend them “all necessary help”, the press statement said.

District officials have been asked to cooperate with the Punjab’s Health Department to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Heavy rain over the past two days has led to rivers breaching banks in several parts of the state. Heavy rain and resultant floods have killed some 30 people in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the past few days.