Rain likely, won't pose any threat to Kapurthala villages: Officials

In a stark contrast to a slew of alerts issued in Jalandhar in view of the heavy rain forecast, the Kapurthala administration hasn’t issued any alert or directions to farmers of the flood-affected areas in the district, regarding the upcoming IMD warnings for inclement weather.

Drainage department officials said the upcoming rain isn’t expected to pose any damage to the flood-affected areas of Sultanpur Lodhi. In Jalandhar, villages around Mandala Channa breach remain on high alert.

While Kapurthala farmers said the damage to houses and crops was the foremost worries on their mind in case of heavy rain, the showers on Sunday morning, however, did not have any significant bearing on the flood situation in Kapurthala. After the brief spell of rain, it was also work as usual at the two under-work bundhs – the one near Ahli Kalan and the other at Rampur Gaura.

Paramjit Singh, resident of Baupur village, said, “The rain this morning was brief and didn’t leave much impact. We are already reeling under the impact of floods. The predicted rain may affect the bundh strengthening work, we are praying the spell isn’t intense. We haven’t received any alerts or directions. We continue to focus on bundh work where 50 tractors are operational to plug the nearly 1-km-long Rampur Gaura bundh breach alone.”

Meanwhile, at Jalandhar, apart from the alerts issued to farmers on the banks of the Chitti Bein and Sultej for the past two days, the DC also directed officials to make arrangements in mandis to prevent any damage to the paddy which has arrived for procurement.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal said, “All our officials have been deputed in the vulnerable areas amid the rain forecast. The situation is being monitored constantly. The district administration has been making proactive efforts for over a month to strengthen the bundh at Mandala Channa as well, where soil sacks are being supplied and work is on a war footing to ensure strengthening of the bundh. Similar measures are also afoot at Sangowal in Phillaur. Prompt action of the administration prevented flooding in the Shahkot area this year and the administration is fully prepared for the coming two days as well.”

SDO, Drainage Department, Khushwinder Singh said, “Water at the Dhilwan gauge flows at between 50,000 and 60,000 cusecs. At the most, there may be a marginal increase in levels but it isn’t expected to cause much damage. Since Mandala Channa is a relatively more critical point, directions have been issued in the area. Our teams are also at work there.”