Residents of villages along Sutlej in panic as flood threat looms large

Residents of Dullewal, Isapur, Mand Daulatpur, Mand Charaudhi, Bandowal and Massaffarwal villages along the Sutlej are facing sleepless nights. Reason: They faced floods during the monsoon season for the past two consecutive years due to which they had to bear huge crop losses.

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Once bitter twice shy, the villagers remain in panic. They maintained though the district administration had put sandbags along the Dhussi bandh and arranged boats, there was fear among the villagers that in case of floods, they would again face difficult times and monetary losses.

Buta Singh Baba from Isapur village told The Tribune that no downpour was witnessed in the area so far but the residents were in panic all the time during the rainy season.

“For the past two years, we are facing difficult times due to heavy rains. Crops were damaged in the fields and we had to bear huge financial losses,” he said.

Ajmer Singh, another villager from a place near Bandowal village, said despite losses, no compensation was given to the farmers by the government. He said in low-lying areas, floodwater had entered houses and damaged everything.

“Many persons are spending from pockets and have hired labourers to make bandhs near their fields so that floods do not create havoc,” he said.

Ajmer, however, said the administration too had provided labourers to arrange sandbags along the Sutlej in several villages.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain on Friday conducted a thorough inspection of flood-prone areas along the Sutlej to evaluate the efforts in reinforcing vulnerable sites. Accompanied by key officials, he visited Garhi Fazil, Garhi Sheru, Dhullewal Complex, Kanniyan Hussaini, Khaira Bet and Mattewara Complex.

He said works of flood protection measures, including stud placement, revetment and elevation of the Dhussi bandh, were completed. He directed officials to maintain vigilance to prevent any untoward incident during the monsoon season and conduct regular maintenance checks at the strengthened infrastructure.

Jain emphasised that the administration was fully equipped to handle flood-like situations triggered by heavy rainfall or increased river flow. Comprehensive preparations had been made to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions during the rainy season. He instructed officials to ensure that essential equipment, including water pumps, generators and rescue boats, were fully operational and strategically positioned at high-risk locations.

Additionally, 24x7 control rooms had been established at district and sub-divisional levels to monitor flood risk in real time, coordinate rapid responses and disseminate timely public alerts. To further enhance preparedness, Jain reviewed arrangements for temporary shelters, ensuring they are equipped with sufficient food, clean water, sanitation facilities, medical supplies and bedding to accommodate displaced residents comfortably, in case of an emergency.

He also underscored the importance of proactive communication, stating that every effort must be made to ensure residents face minimal inconvenience during the monsoon.