'Steer clear of rivers and bandhs': Kapurthala administration issues advisory to residents

In view of the rising water levels in the Beas river and Kali Bein, along with continuous heavy rainfall, the Kapurthala District Administration on Tuesday issued an advisory for the public to stay away from rivers and Dhussi bandh embankments.

Incessant rains also brought down the roofs of several houses in the district. Water in the Beas river in Kapurthala continues to flow above the 2 lakh cusecs mark — it was recorded at 2.8 lakh cusecs this afternoon.

According to the administration's advisory, people have been requested to avoid going near the rivers and the adjoining Dhussi embankments in order to prevent any untoward incident. Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, Amit Kumar Panchal, said the safety of life and property is the top priority of the administration, in view of which, the advisory was issued.

The administration's directions also comes in the wake of the cracks recorded on the surface road of the main Dhussi bandh by residents yesterday — between the Lakh Warian and Passan Kadim villages — on the Baupur bridge at Sultanpur Lodhi. So far, only advance bandhs in the river floodplains have been breached in Kapurthala and residents feared any breach in the Dhussi bandh will lead to a much larger scale of devastation.

Meawhile, for the last three days, rain has rendered flood-hit areas highly vulnerable with several house collapses reported today.

A house collapsed at Nawa Pind Patthe last evening and another one at Shahpur Peera today in Kapurthala. A house at Preeti Nagar also sustained massive damage. The administration has rushed relief to residents of all affected houses.

Among flood-hit areas, Rampur Gaura village has witnessed the most major damage. Villagers providing relief said many homes from where people were evacuated, have collapsed after days of heavy rainfall. RS MP Seechewal had also raised concerns about the Beas river altering its course due to the widening of a breached embankment in the village.

While the number of houses damaged in the flood-hit areas in Kapurthala is estimated between 15 to 18, villagers said the ongoing of spell of rain has made it difficult to assess the actual damage.

So far three major — and several minor breaches — have been reported to advance bandhs in Kapurthala since August 11, until now. The first breach occurred at the Bhaini Bahadur village near Baupur; the second at Ahli Kalan advance bandh; and the third at Chal Patti Baloo Bahadur village.

Relief work continued at a slower place amidst inclement weather in the district as administration continued ferrying ration and relief.