50 villages flooded in Jalandhar, Sultanpur
Aparna Banerji
Jalandhar, July 12
At least 50 villages, 36 villages in Jalandhar and 14 in Sultanpur Lodhi, have been flooded after the breach in the Sutlej. A 100 feet breach in Phillaur on Monday night and two more breaches at Mandala Channa and Gatta Mundi Kasu villages inundated vast areas of Gidderpindi, Shahkot and Lohian in Jalandhar.
According to MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, the intensity of water flow is much more than 2019 and Giddepindi is the lowest point where water is accumulating but not moving further because of silt deposited under the girders of the bridge — which was also an issue in 2019.
Water surrounds the Jalandhar-Gidderpindi highway and further the narrow Gidderpindi dhussi bundh. The dhussi bundh is the only lifeline for 50 villages where rescue and relief operations are required.
Across the main highway to Gidderpindi, teams of village volunteers have been deployed to plug breaches.
MP Seechewal, said, “We had promised the people that 2019 won’t be repeated. So it pained me to see waters flooding the areas again. I believe most of the waters have already come in and sangat (volunteers) are plugging the breaches. One of the reasons water is affecting Gidderpindi most is that it is the lowest point and water isn’t moving out of here due to lack of proper desilting of bridge girders. We hope the waters recede soon.” Minister Balkar Singh said the administration was doing all that it could to plug the breaches.
