Special assessment of flood-damaged houses to begin in Kapurthala today: DC

Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal announced that a special assessment of houses damaged during the recent floods will begin on September 15. The move is aimed at ensuring timely compensation for affected families as per established norms.

Panchal stated that the Punjab Government has already declared compensation for houses completely destroyed by the floods. Damages to attached cattle sheds will also be covered under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines.

The Deputy Commissioner has directed the Public Works and Rural Development Departments to deploy SDOs, JEs and Panchayat Secretaries to conduct village-level surveys, with the entire process to be completed within 14 days. Panchayat Secretaries will accompany the technical teams during their assessments.

In urban areas, municipal corporations and committees will handle the assessment exercise. Panchal further clarified that the assessment reports submitted by SDOs and JEs will be verified by the Executive Engineer of PWD within five days. A draft assessment report will be made available to the public for one week to allow residents to file objections or complaints. These will be addressed within six days, after which the final report will be approved and submitted to the state government for fund release. Compensation will be disbursed to the affected families within seven days following the release of funds.

Livestock loss assessment and compensation start

Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal announced on Sunday that the assessment and compensation process for livestock losses due to recent floods in Kapurthala will commence from September 15, 2025.

Panchal explained that the Punjab Government has outlined a structured and transparent procedure to ensure timely compensation for affected families.

Officials from the Animal Husbandry Department will conduct village-level assessments, with veterinary officers carrying out special surveys in coordination with Panchayat Secretaries, who must be present during field visits. In urban areas, municipal corporations and committees will oversee the process.

The Deputy Commissioner further directed that the entire assessment be completed within 14 days in the designated areas. The Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry will also conduct random checks within five days to ensure accuracy.

To ensure transparency, the assessment reports will be displayed publicly for one week to allow residents to file objections. Veterinary officers will address these objections within three days, followed by verification by the Deputy Director within another three days. After final approval, compensation will be disbursed within a week.

Panchal also warned that strict departmental action would be taken against any officers found responsible for serious discrepancies in the assessments.