Jai Inder Kaur slams govt, mayor, AAP MLA for negligence in cleaning nadis, drains amidst flood threat

The Punjab BJP Mahila Morcha president, Jai Inder Kaur, has strongly criticised the state government and the local administration for their gross negligence in cleaning Patiala’s Badi Nadi, Choti Nadi and various drains, despite repeated warnings over the past several months.

She reminded that the people of Patiala had still not been able to recover from the devastation of the 2023 floods. The government had failed to learn from its mistakes, she said. “Instead of taking preventive measures well in advance, the administration has once again put residents of Patiala at risk of another disaster,” she said.

Raising serious concerns, she said the failure to desilt and clear these crucial water channels had now pushed Patiala to the brink of a flood-like situation.

“For months, repeated reminders and warnings were given to the administration and the government authorities, but no action was taken. And now, when Patiala has been placed on red alert due to heavy rains, the government has woken up only to deploy a single crane for cleaning nadis and drains. This is not just incompetence, it is criminal negligence,” she remarked.

Jai Inder Kaur further highlighted that the nadi remains blocked at several points across the city, posing a grave danger to thousands of residents. “If flood water enters Patiala, who will take responsibility? The government and the administration have completely failed in their duty to protect the people. No one has done anything, and now the entire city is at risk,” she asserted.

She also slammed Mayor Kundan Gogia and Patiala AAP MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, stating that their role was limited to taking photographs for publicity at the site, while no real work was done on the ground to safeguard the city. “The people of Patiala deserve safety and accountability, not photo-ops and hollow statements,” she added.

Demanding immediate large-scale action, Jai Inder Kaur warned that the safety of Patiala’s residents cannot be compromised because of the lethargy and negligence of the AAP government. “Preventive measures should have been taken well in time, not at the eleventh hour when the threat has already escalated,” she added.