Relief in Sasrali as water level in Sutlej stabilises; preventive work underway

Villagers in Sasrali Colony appeared relieved today as the water levels of the Sutlej were described as “controlled”. The sarpanch and residents said they expected the river to recede further if there was no heavy rainfall in the hills. In the meantime, administrative and the Health Department teams have reached the affected villages to extend assistance.

Ankit Kumar, Junior Engineer at Rour Complex, Sasrali Colony, said studs were being installed where the river was barely 150–200 feet from farmland. “However, villagers are requesting us to construct these as far as 900–1,000 feet away. We are monitoring the situation closely, and arrangements are in place to safeguard the land,” he stated.

Sarpanch Karam Singh of Sasrali Colony said the conditions had improved in comparison with earlier days. “Although we continue to guard the fields, workers are placing studs and sandbags to prevent water from flowing onto this side,” he explained.

At Dhullewal village, anxiety prevailed yesterday when the river was barely 200 feet from the fields. Within the past 24 hours, however, authorities and local workers successfully installed studs and reinforced nearly 295 feet of vulnerable land to avert flooding. Jasmeen Singh, Junior Engineer at Dhullewal, told The Tribune: “The situation had deteriorated yesterday, but within a few hours labourers and villagers managed to install studs and sandbags to stop the water from entering the fields.”

DC Himanshu Jain, after reviewing reports from sensitive villages, said the overall situation remained under control. “We anticipate water levels will not increase further provided there is no additional rainfall in the hills. At locations roughly 250 feet inside the Sutlej, protective studs have been installed, ensuring safety. At Dhullewal, Sasrali Colony and Talwandi Nauwad, preventive measures have been undertaken and no embankments have been breached,” he remarked, adding that teams were conducting round-the-clock monitoring.

Meanwhile, villagers continued to stay on alert, watching over the flood situation and their fields in rotation, ready to respond swiftly should any emergency arise.