Illegal mining to blame for Punjab floods: Chouhan to brief Modi on losses today

Blaming illegal mining for Punjab’s worst floods in decades, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the Centre will draft a short, medium and long-term plan to bring relief and rehabilitation to the state. The minister is likely to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi on ground losses in the border state on Saturday.

A rough early estimate says nearly four lakh acres of the state’s farmland could be submerged with vast tracts of standing crops damaged. A final assessment of losses, top official sources told The Tribune, would, however, be made once the Centre’s inter-ministerial teams return after their field visits to the state. At present, two teams are touring Punjab.

Meanwhile, Chouhan, who visited Punjab on Thursday to conduct a spot check of the situation for himself, today said floodwaters entered the villages across Punjab due to weakened embankments on account of illegal mining.

The senior BJP leader recalled the construction of earthen embankments along major river banks of the state when the late Atal Behari Vajpayee was the PM and the late Parkash Singh Badal was the CM of the state.

“When Vajpayee ji was the PM and Badal ji was the Punjab CM, we had constructed earthen embankments around major rivers — the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and the Ghaggar — to save farmland and crops in the event of a crisis. However, due to illegal mining, these embankments have been weakened and water has entered and inundated villages. We need to fully restore these embankments to prevent a future crisis,” Chouhan said, indicating a permanent solution to control flooding by containing rainwater within the river’s channels.

His recall of the late Akali Dal veteran was significant given the estranged BJP-SAD ties.

Chouhan also said the government would work on short, medium and long-term plans to lift the border state out of the current crisis.

Describing the sight in Punjab as “water cataclysm”, Chouhan said he would present a detailed ground assessment of damage to farmland, farmers and livestock to the PM soon.

“PM Modi is deeply concerned about the situation in Punjab. I travelled to the state on his directions. The situation in Punjab is cataclysmic. Crops have been damaged. In this hour of distress, the Centre stands with the people and farmers of Punjab,” said the minister, stressing planned redevelopment of all flood-affected regions of the state.

The crisis in the state is humongous, Chouhan said, adding: “We will leave no stone unturned in pulling the state out of it.”

Chouhan also urged the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in the state to work on the ground with all seriousness.

Once the waters recede, there would be challenges of infections.

“Animal carcasses would need to be disposed of properly to prevent any epidemic. Silt has deposited across farms. We will need to make a desilting plan to save the next cycle of crops,” Chouhan said after a spot assessment of the Amritsar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur belts.

The minister also saluted Punjab’s spirit of service amid the calamity.

“I witnessed Punjab’s spirit of sewa, how social activists are going village to village to distribute relief, food, clothes and medicines. I salute Punjab’s spirit of sewa. The service of a distressed individual is equivalent to the worship of God. Neighbouring states have also come forward to help. This sense of unity in a crisis gives us the strength to overcome all difficulties. We will lift Punjab out of the current crisis,” said Chouhan.

The Agriculture Ministry is preparing a detailed report for submission to the PM on Saturday.

A finer, more nuanced report with technical assessment of losses will follow once inter-ministerial teams return to Delhi.