Dist on high alert as heavy rains lash region, admn monitoring situation

The district, parts of which were mostly remained unaffected so far, was put on high alert on Monday after 90,000 cusecs of water was released from Ropar this morning.

The Sutlej, which had been flowing at around 35,000 cusecs, is now expected to touch the 1.25 lakh-cusec mark within hours. Since early morning, officials have been on their toes, with teams and workers engaged in strengthening embankments in villages along the river.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain, who visited areas along the Buddha Nullah and inspected the Dhussi bandh at Talwandi Nayabad, told The Tribune that the city was on a high alert as water levels were likely to rise further. “All possible and necessary measures are being taken to prevent any damage from excessive water and teams are already on the ground,” he said.

The DC also inspected a breach in the Buddha Dariya at Talwara Bahanhara village, directing teams to urgently repair the damage. He said at all vulnerable points, including Khaira Bet, Mattewara forest area, Sasrali, Dhullewal, teams from the administration were available round the clock to monitor the situation.

Heavy showers lashed Ludhiana since around 5:30 am on Monday, continued non-stop for over seven hours, adding to the woes of flood-hit areas of the state. Panic gripped residents as waterlogged streets and roads and rising water levels at the Buddha Nullah created fresh concerns across the city. Areas along the nullah, including Salem Tabri, Chand Cinema road were inundated due to the overflowing nullah. Residents faced tough times as dirty water entered their houses.

Though schools remained closed across the state due to floods and incessant rains, on Monday, the state government also announced the closure of colleges as well.

As per authorities, 2-3 ft of water was reported in low-lying areas, particularly along Basti Jodhewal, Tajpur Road, Samrala Chowk, Janakpuri areas, the condition in posh areas such as Rani Jhansi Road and near Lodhi Club was also the same as puddles of water could be seen all over, causing difficulty for commuters to move on roads.

Locals were seen praying for relief from rains that had already brought widespread misery.

In villages along the Sutlej, anxiety mounted as the water level continued to rise. “Water is just a few meters away from entering the fields and villagers are panicked,” said Sonu, sarpanch of Boothgarh village, adding that the administration had sent teams late on Sunday night to assess the situation and put up measures to prevent water from entering the fields.

Meanwhile, social media groups were abuzz with Good Samaritans mobilising support for flood-hit areas. Messages were exchanged about sending ration, mosquito nets, water and first-aid kits. Some volunteers were also seen arranging boats to held rescue people.

Several trees were uprooted across different areas and relentless rain further disrupted normal life in the city.

Dyeing units shut

The Deputy Commissioner-cum-chairman, District Disaster Management Committee, Ludhiana, Himanshu Jain, has ordered the closure of all dyeing units and printing clusters with immediate effect.

The orders came following the visit of Jain along with MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal at Chander Nagar pulley and other areas along the Buddha Nullah to assess the flood situation. The officials observed that due to excessive rainfall and water, STPs in the city were overflowing and the water could enter low-lying areas.

To avoid any complications and keeping in mind problems of low-lying area residents could face, all dyeing units on Tajpur Road, Bahadurke Road, industrial area, units at Jalandhar Bypass and Samrala Chowk and other printing units were ordered to be shut.

“At this time, we cannot afford to relax. To stop the reverse flow of STPs, we have ordered the dyeing industry to close the units till the flood-like situation was improved. Though the situation is under control, if the rains do not stop, the water of the nullah could overflow and enter the low-lying areas,” he said.

The DC conducted a late evening inspection of Dhulewal village in the Samrala sub-division on Monday where flood water from the Sutlej have caused damages to several acres of agricultural fields.

Jain assured residents that the state government was committed to compensating every individual affected by floods, following a thorough and transparent assessment of losses.

“The government stands with the people of Dhulewal and will ensure that every loss is accounted for and duly compensated,” he stated.

According to the latest reports, approximately 1.25 lakh cusecs of water has been released into the Sutlej. To manage the situation, the district administration has deployed teams for round-the-clock surveillance along riverbanks. Additionally, 50,000 sandbags and studs have been strategically placed in Dhulewal to reinforce embankments and prevent further damage.

“The administration is making earnest efforts to control the situation and confident in managing challenges posed by the release of 1.25 lakh cusecs of water,” Jain said. He urged residents to stay vigilant and cooperate with local authorities to ensure safety and effective flood management.

Good Samaritans arrange boats

Some Good Samaritans from Ludhiana, Cloth Merchant Association members, have donating generously for the noble cause to help the people, hit in floods. Sonu Nilibar from the association said they had arranged funds for two boats, which would be airlifted from Mumbai and reach Amritsar by the evening.

“Ration and kits are available but boats were needed to reach out to the affected residents. We collected funds and people from Jaipur, Nasik and Pune are coming forward to donate. Hence, we are sending two boats to flood-hit areas in Amritsar by the evening,” he said.

Police Division 3 flooded

Police Division 3 got submerged in water on Monday when up to 2-3 ft of water entered it. Police personnel on duty had to drain out water with the help of buckets and pipes.