Floods cost state Rs 2,000 cr, says CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 28

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the recent floods cost the state around Rs2,000 crore, including compensation and damage to the state’s infrastructure.

After reviewing the relief operations, he said in a tweet that there was no breach in Beas and Ravi and breaches in Ghaggar and Sutlej had almost been plugged.

So far, Rs475 crore has been set aside for relief work in six districts — Ropar, Moga, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Fazilka and Ferozepur. Revenue Minister GS Kangar said the government had released Rs4.50 crore to the six districts.

The amount has been released in the ratio of Rs1 crore each for Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Roopnagar, while Rs50 lakh each for Ludhiana, Moga and Ferozepur.

Earlier, Rs2.10 crore in the proportion of Rs35 lakh to each of these districts was provided to commence the relief and rescue operations, Kangar said.

During the meeting of the disaster management group under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary on Monday, the DCs of the affected districts through video conference had sought more funds. In consonance with the demand received, the funds had been released for carrying out short-term relief activities.

The amount released is primarily for short-term tasks ranging from provision of fodder for cattle, disposal of dead animals, transit accommodation, tents, tarpaulins, temporary toilets, medicines, provision of dry ration, drinking water, milk powder, spray on stagnant water and recovery of debris from river banks/water. Water Resources Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria said 12 breaches had been successfully plugged so far and the work of plugging remaining breaches was on at war footing.

He said nine breaches at Meowal and Mau Sahib villages in Phillaur subdivision were successfully plugged and the work of plugging 168-ft wide breach at Bholewal village in Ludhiana was completed on Saturday. Two breaches were also plugged at Kishanpura village in Moga.

Sarkaria said massive resources had been mobilised to plug around 500-ft wide breach at Janian Chahal village of Jalandhar and the work of plugging 200-ft wide breach at Sangowal village was also being carried out at war footing. The work of plugging three breaches in Ropar at Bhaowal (50 ft), Khairabad (150 ft) and Surtapur (60 ft) villages is also under progress.

Counting losses

1.72 lakh acres Crop destroyed

13,635 Population affected

5,973 Persons evacuated

8 Persons died (5 in Ludhiana, one each in Fazilka, Ropar, Jalandhar)

1,868 Houses damaged

4,228 Animals died

12 Districts affected

317.63 mm Avg rain in 22 districts