70K cusecs of water released from Harike headworks

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, July 10

Several border villages situated along the Sutlej, including Kaluwala, Tendiwala, Kamalwala, Pachharian, Pritam Singh Wala, Darveshe Ke, Bhamma Singh Wala and Palla Megha have been inundated due to heavy flow of water in the river.

Though the situation is under control, but maize and paddy sown on hundreds of acres of land got inundated.

Earlier, around 30 migrants, including 11 kids, were rescued from the banks of the Sutlej by the Army and the Punjab Police at Sabhran village. A pontoon bridge near Mohammadi Wala village also drifted away due to heavy flow of water.

Nearly, 70,614 cusecs of water was released downstream from Harike headworks while the pond level was reported at 682 ft. More than 55,000 cusecs of water has been released downstream from Hussainiwala headworks.

Zira MLA Naresh Kataria along with DC Rajesh Dhiman, SSP Bhupinder Singh and officials of the drainage and revenue department visited the villages and took stock of the situation.

Darshan Singh, ex-sarpanch, Aalewala village, said crops in more than 25 villages near Basti Ram Lal had been submerged and the government must compensate farmers. Mukhtiar Singh of Kamalwala village and Pardeep Singh of Pritam Singh Wala village also demanded crop relief.