Bridge submerged, link to 12 Fazilka villages snapped

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, August 20

Around 20,000 residents of 12 villages today got stuck in their houses after Kawanwali Bridge on the Sutlej got submerged in water released from the Hussainiwala Headworks.

Krishan Singh of Dona Nanka village said, “The rescue work had to be stopped as all the roads leading to Kawanwali Bridge got inundated.” He said boats had been the only mode of transportation to reach the flood-hit villages.

Evacuation underway

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The NDRF teams have evacuated 421 persons to safer places. The ration has been dispatched to every affected village. —Senu Duggal, Fazilka Deputy Commissioner

As many as 161 persons have been staying put at relief camps set up by the district administration. Numerous villagers on the bank of a seepage drain near Dhani Mohna Ram were awaiting relief.

A Rai Sikh leader, Harjit Singh Shahri, said, “Nobody came to our rescue. Besides, several villagers are camping at Baba Jamalludin complex in Dhani Mohna Ram.” The Border Security Force, administration and villagers came together to construct a 1,600-metre bundh along the International Border to prevent damage to standing crops on 3,000 acres.

Sources said a total of 16 houses had been damaged so far. Harbans Singh of Gulaba Bhaini village, whose house got damaged demanded immediate compensation.

Sources said some bunkers of the Army also got submerged in Mauzam forward bundh, which was being strengthened by the authorities. Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Senu Duggal said the NDRF teams had evacuated 421 persons to safer places. She said ration had been dispatched to every affected village. A 65-year-old man, Jang Singh, was swept away in floodwater at Chack Tahliwala village in Jalalabad today.