Health Minister inspects flood-hit Sultanpur Lodhi, ensures medical preparedness

Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh today made an intensive tour of the flood-affected areas at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala, hit by the Beas floods, after having visited the Sultanpur Lodhi Civil Hospital last night. The minister was accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, Sultanpur Lodhi halka in-charge Sajjan Singh Cheema, along with the Kapurthala Civil Surgeon, SMO, DC, and SSP.

He toured flood-affected areas on a boat, visited homes, and even toured cow sheds in villages. Over 20 villages had been flooded in Sultanpur Lodhi after the temporary bundh broke days ago, hitting the Mand villages Baupur and 16 to 18 others near them. Subsequent breaches in advance bundhs at Mandala Channa also caused additional damage to crop land. A minor breach at Ali Kalan village was also reported today.

With the fluctuating water advancing and receding every day — as per rains and waters released from dams — villagers have been fearing infections, allergies, and organisms in the sludgy, muddy waters which encompass their villages. The Health Minister himself was greeted by a snake at an establishment.

Speaking to the press, the state Health Minister said, “I have been entrusted with the duty to ensure that the arrangements for treatment for all patients at hospitals are up to the mark. The CM has asked me to get a report regarding this. All health and emergency mechanisms are fully prepared to tackle medical cases and emergencies in the region. The dengue wards, diarrhoea ward, emergency services are ready and fully stocked to tackle patients, and all medicines are also available at medical units.”

Today we visited many houses of those hit by floods in the area. “While the problem of flies and mosquitoes is surprisingly lesser compared to cities here, I did encounter a snake sitting on a generator. So while people need to be cautious, we have ensured that all medical facilities are fully equipped and stocked to take in patients in view of the floods hitting the region. All help is being extended to the region bearing the ravages of the flood.”

The Health Minister said a base hospital at Sultanpur Lodhi was serving as a key unit for relief medicines for the flood-hit areas; medicines had been stored in adequate quantities, and ambulances had also been pressed into service to aid people.

Touring the flood-affected Sangra village along with Seechewal and Cheema, the minister also lauded the courage of the people of the flood-hit region. He said, “The area is battling the ravages of the flood. Despite people being relegated to their homes which have been surrounded by waters, the spirit of service is alive, and there is no dearth of hospitality being offered to visitors. ‘Sangat’ is also doing a lot of sewa in the region. The people’s indomitable spirit remains unfazed despite the flood.”

The Health Minister’s visit to the region came close on the heels of the declaration of special girdawari ordered for the flood-hit areas by Cabinet colleague Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian’s visit yesterday. Mundian had instructed the administration to carry out special girdawari as soon as water levels receded and submit their reports so that compensation could be provided to the affected people.